tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30174543904414434492024-03-27T11:39:54.446-07:00Dreamkeeper Creations<i>* Celebrating life with a little sparkle *</i>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.comBlogger241125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-5799608777573678132024-03-25T01:36:00.000-07:002024-03-25T01:52:16.270-07:00I Am An Elder - What That Means To Me<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBR0t1Yhgch5_Fyuu3eghPa1SwrWn80VNPrEQ5YT1lGJWIuedn6rilF8zANCcbwY_YVun7YyTzHmhd9y3pPaiS9wdGmz7LGUGN26Pe-rL-QHSCwS8XJYGCGh7tDTuaZC1yOPR88_9AmdwpJ6lhKU8ckCZwKu6m7Nh8ScUSsfhGCeeBvLSQJgjp4nQ1KrB/s1280/35003937-33AE-482D-8639-EC3300B1B648.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBR0t1Yhgch5_Fyuu3eghPa1SwrWn80VNPrEQ5YT1lGJWIuedn6rilF8zANCcbwY_YVun7YyTzHmhd9y3pPaiS9wdGmz7LGUGN26Pe-rL-QHSCwS8XJYGCGh7tDTuaZC1yOPR88_9AmdwpJ6lhKU8ckCZwKu6m7Nh8ScUSsfhGCeeBvLSQJgjp4nQ1KrB/s320/35003937-33AE-482D-8639-EC3300B1B648.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><p>I realize more this year than perhaps any other that I have reached the stage of Elderhood. And it is an honor. Or it can be if we make it so.</p><p>I have perhaps more loved ones and friends and beloved pets in Heaven than I do down here. And though I look forward to when it is my turn to go to True Home, I keep waking up every day, and though I do not feel any urgency around getting things done, I feel a kind of peace about synthesizing my skills, talents, passions, and abilities and a strong desire to "do" things rather than collect things. It feels excellent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji79IvFQ8utEoF8vOzni1GXbMlJsWSG0Ry2LVwOPfS9w_ANDaQhoNQIAyEVlDqJp4JUnhGgqUh3JLXWj5xitScON6lpvejPv6MdAg4uO2lBP8TO-8Usw9Kmwyixm5qTo5KsUohcUxG9bita_5jKj13LNB5B9MQu_b56cia4X2-tlQTPNlavQXRhWtQP2po/s1080/Photo%20on%203-2-21%20at%207.17%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji79IvFQ8utEoF8vOzni1GXbMlJsWSG0Ry2LVwOPfS9w_ANDaQhoNQIAyEVlDqJp4JUnhGgqUh3JLXWj5xitScON6lpvejPv6MdAg4uO2lBP8TO-8Usw9Kmwyixm5qTo5KsUohcUxG9bita_5jKj13LNB5B9MQu_b56cia4X2-tlQTPNlavQXRhWtQP2po/s320/Photo%20on%203-2-21%20at%207.17%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>With the recent passing of my beloved sister, who was an amazing person - nurturing, loving, so smart, fierce, independent, and giving, I have been on hiatus. I had to stop. And I stopped a lot, while I loved her the best I could during her long illness. And during that time I didn't know it, but something was happening inside of me that has brought me to this place just a bit beyond reflection to action in each of my days.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY-Kd9OwRrsGrPHcyucdb1nbF3erxCC1L8oljEHRYTh5tyU7vuxDmit7-DC2JzRO1zCxWWk1IuRksWeYYq-chTyaJIwYq6h3GcLLXF0ndsOvspGAnCnUjsbQ30hBKDQKAr3L2Jms8h_9z8oRk60LV8JFsX26hMGcCtjCn0kE20ZuYyR7441Mr8LzWOjj9/s468/Photo%20on%202012-12-09%20at%2018.12%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY-Kd9OwRrsGrPHcyucdb1nbF3erxCC1L8oljEHRYTh5tyU7vuxDmit7-DC2JzRO1zCxWWk1IuRksWeYYq-chTyaJIwYq6h3GcLLXF0ndsOvspGAnCnUjsbQ30hBKDQKAr3L2Jms8h_9z8oRk60LV8JFsX26hMGcCtjCn0kE20ZuYyR7441Mr8LzWOjj9/s468/Photo%20on%202012-12-09%20at%2018.12%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY-Kd9OwRrsGrPHcyucdb1nbF3erxCC1L8oljEHRYTh5tyU7vuxDmit7-DC2JzRO1zCxWWk1IuRksWeYYq-chTyaJIwYq6h3GcLLXF0ndsOvspGAnCnUjsbQ30hBKDQKAr3L2Jms8h_9z8oRk60LV8JFsX26hMGcCtjCn0kE20ZuYyR7441Mr8LzWOjj9/s468/Photo%20on%202012-12-09%20at%2018.12%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="468" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY-Kd9OwRrsGrPHcyucdb1nbF3erxCC1L8oljEHRYTh5tyU7vuxDmit7-DC2JzRO1zCxWWk1IuRksWeYYq-chTyaJIwYq6h3GcLLXF0ndsOvspGAnCnUjsbQ30hBKDQKAr3L2Jms8h_9z8oRk60LV8JFsX26hMGcCtjCn0kE20ZuYyR7441Mr8LzWOjj9/s320/Photo%20on%202012-12-09%20at%2018.12%20%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></blockquote><br /><p>What was happening was that I was receiving very beautiful messages from all kinds of sources, including books, movies, Nature, relationships, and things I witnessed happening to others all over the planet and those close to me as well. These messages led me to this place where I find myself evaluating myself and my life, to a synthesis of all that I have experienced, both good and "bad," and to stepping into a sort of new way of being where I no longer react, but choose very deliberately and consciously to ACT.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxcAqE3iUN94i43NmM99pC-9Pry67lcPTHJPQiMKm1blA-2FLDCduP7LpWyf8BqdyMlaOvKS659X1JHQ8a22zPwnn-IRDEpUsuFJSvWcoXmgIiF9t897jVIrvpB3PIaeqUBaF3iG1lBUXtmw9Y9og0Qx9xRL7-3PyZ_X3knxW3bRcpAxGRfwo9zoJhwRl/s1080/Photo%20on%205-14-14%20at%201.08%20PM%20%233.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxcAqE3iUN94i43NmM99pC-9Pry67lcPTHJPQiMKm1blA-2FLDCduP7LpWyf8BqdyMlaOvKS659X1JHQ8a22zPwnn-IRDEpUsuFJSvWcoXmgIiF9t897jVIrvpB3PIaeqUBaF3iG1lBUXtmw9Y9og0Qx9xRL7-3PyZ_X3knxW3bRcpAxGRfwo9zoJhwRl/s320/Photo%20on%205-14-14%20at%201.08%20PM%20%233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>So this brand new year, 2024, brings about lots of changes in my life that are most welcome indeed. They include successfully getting 100% out of debt, having funds to devote to our home renovations which were put off during the years we devoted ourselves to the kids who are now grown and doing well on their own, and coming into the position where I am now "rebranding" my professional self, my business, called Dreamkeeper Creations, and all the activities involved, which have always included writing, painting, and beadworking, and will hopefully continue to include each of these. I am very excited to see new changes as they come about and very excited to be going one step at a time on this new pathway built upon all the years that have come before this one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MMuu15cTRnGXJlaqPpN0UVW3mMrNGDuyvLtVtH8gx2jbCT3EASZXPhxgXNQV0Q3K2WYNdN-K6dbm-U3p-qvdKsH6hSzB4G0iXisrEl0QdmmECaXCn0MPWAVlXvs_jZyv8aSDKhdKlGGaX9w_WqaU_dWaJATaIxYTgZ3siKVvJQnPLub2v_XWQVzseZHw/s2576/IMG_1401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1932" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MMuu15cTRnGXJlaqPpN0UVW3mMrNGDuyvLtVtH8gx2jbCT3EASZXPhxgXNQV0Q3K2WYNdN-K6dbm-U3p-qvdKsH6hSzB4G0iXisrEl0QdmmECaXCn0MPWAVlXvs_jZyv8aSDKhdKlGGaX9w_WqaU_dWaJATaIxYTgZ3siKVvJQnPLub2v_XWQVzseZHw/s320/IMG_1401.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>I consider it an honor to be granted this time that brings me to Elderhood. In our American youth-oriented society and culture it is not well respected. But I know that in other cultures Elderhood is very much respected and revered. And I choose to adopt many of their beautiful teachings and carry them as blessings as I learn how to do this with grace and serenity and joy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXALJk_zCGauoFnQgffQGIj2-QLEgNTBDHugG9WdUiGl6vvdYhQQFKGtw5H7Ne091EbjZbOEFDA6dHb6YNp8AEJqF7IoZfJXB8yfKry3z0gh2e9hji3DJ9GsCGASuB9WNaGEPxDLg3XO49OewGhHmEtlkKowPmlUSIakIro9JhoPu_VF29gebAoUSaW0W/s3656/QQPG4290.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3656" data-original-width="2058" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXALJk_zCGauoFnQgffQGIj2-QLEgNTBDHugG9WdUiGl6vvdYhQQFKGtw5H7Ne091EbjZbOEFDA6dHb6YNp8AEJqF7IoZfJXB8yfKry3z0gh2e9hji3DJ9GsCGASuB9WNaGEPxDLg3XO49OewGhHmEtlkKowPmlUSIakIro9JhoPu_VF29gebAoUSaW0W/s320/QQPG4290.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><p>I am proud of my winkles and I am focusing on the positives as I navigate my new experiences of Elderhood, and I wish joy to all of those who have also managed to stay with their Earth journeys to reach Elderhood. </p><p>May we love the Littles, and the Youngsters and the Adolescents and the Young Adults and other kindred Elders with all of ourselves XO May we be good examples of what is possible despite the challenges. May we receive love that warms our hearts and keeps us excited about all the possibilities of Life on our wonderful blue planet XO</p><p>These are my prayers for today.</p><p>Namaste,</p><p>Jen</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-20256532949453555782024-01-31T17:12:00.000-08:002024-01-31T17:26:51.500-08:00New cabochon necklace captures dreams....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjBdJhCuSuxdsO__Xf1Wkd3hyphenhyphenVzpLZ8HID-7eVLDVcXSsh8KbP_eLjztjaEmDD4zXmfQDlGfYFSQ7XEUvFp-VO32Uzp0bckx2WrXRcpAVrkFnGvduz_tb1LjVwvQk77X0rsieYKf2uHjRE533Tb5CPR_rSUSqFpg7eC9mIOP0P1e8HGcWn2Pw80hPXK2T/s4032/IMG_5112.jpeg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjBdJhCuSuxdsO__Xf1Wkd3hyphenhyphenVzpLZ8HID-7eVLDVcXSsh8KbP_eLjztjaEmDD4zXmfQDlGfYFSQ7XEUvFp-VO32Uzp0bckx2WrXRcpAVrkFnGvduz_tb1LjVwvQk77X0rsieYKf2uHjRE533Tb5CPR_rSUSqFpg7eC9mIOP0P1e8HGcWn2Pw80hPXK2T/s320/IMG_5112.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inspired by Disney's Big Friendly Giant story.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Dreams do come true. Especially when we apply a little imagination and a lot of action.</div><div><br /></div><div>This beautiful cabochon necklace came about when I fell in love with the cab itself. A glory of colors reminiscent of the Aurora Borealis, that magical light that comes from our Creative Source, no matter how we define it in scientific terms (for those, too, are certainly within the vast realms of our Source).</div><div><br /></div><div>I am sorry I do not have the name of this cabochon's creator, but I do know that the artist worked in layers with fire and glass, which is composed of tiny bits of gemstone and elements of Earth herself. </div><div><br /></div><div>I thought I had my own ideas for its embellishment. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8oUEBGkN6XHA0Xp_uANvcoTva3f0Q1U4PzFPaTTXqvh4YVizrfSMNCBehCZ-2c48TtFph6VXBHu7UZgBc5_tdMA8stWBwwJ2NpbaehGIrV4z1nvafzJ3j68XWcpyXLq0EY-HDz-Kl5ONZyEszlbz7Qo98PMQLb0R2GnY27kmPVy145zsHSLN1mCikU-s/s4032/IMG_5090.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8oUEBGkN6XHA0Xp_uANvcoTva3f0Q1U4PzFPaTTXqvh4YVizrfSMNCBehCZ-2c48TtFph6VXBHu7UZgBc5_tdMA8stWBwwJ2NpbaehGIrV4z1nvafzJ3j68XWcpyXLq0EY-HDz-Kl5ONZyEszlbz7Qo98PMQLb0R2GnY27kmPVy145zsHSLN1mCikU-s/s320/IMG_5090.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My ideas, hm....</td></tr></tbody></table>But as I've found over the years, the muse has other ideas and she doesn't hesitate to nudge my logical brain aside and sashay her way in with magnificence. How can I not listen and hear and act upon her urgings? At first, I looked with my logical brain at the colors in the cabochon, and rummaged through my sead beads, pulling colors that the cab might suggest, yes, lime green, a very special bronzy-gold, blues, purples, turquoise, and flashes of color we hardly never see here in our real world. But something wasn't sitting right about it. It just didn't want to come together. <div><br /></div><div>When I finally sat down to work on it, suddenly I noticed a bowl of jet-lined topaz seed beads that contain just about all the colors in the rainbow and shimmer in the light. They called to me, PICK US! Well, who am I to deny the muse? So I did. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Vm7TpiSkEqZqVNka6Iku0pvtHrI_9__pz_haRol9ZfAFapNE3vlQ3RMrvXkFcWIfhpDURgeqxpBFNCdzhCzXaEq5z5ZTzJfMghLD-1AElfIyp0Ma9ppENJVQQdIX2lnqaeYX8-6LeemjebMQmAkJc00OHEtPjmwMnxFBQ2bexHjepH5udn3MiydZTNVe/s4032/IMG_5088.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Vm7TpiSkEqZqVNka6Iku0pvtHrI_9__pz_haRol9ZfAFapNE3vlQ3RMrvXkFcWIfhpDURgeqxpBFNCdzhCzXaEq5z5ZTzJfMghLD-1AElfIyp0Ma9ppENJVQQdIX2lnqaeYX8-6LeemjebMQmAkJc00OHEtPjmwMnxFBQ2bexHjepH5udn3MiydZTNVe/s320/IMG_5088.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The peyote stitched border, in which I listened.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I sewed and sewed into the wee hours of the morning with these shimmery seed beads, and when it was time, I picked up the tiny bronzy-gold 15/0 beads to do the inside, which is what you have to do to make it tight so the beautiful cab will never fall out. Each stitch bedazzeled me, as I listened to old movies on the TV in my studio. And I did not sleep until the borders were done around the cab. They never tangled, which always tells me she's so happy to be made, and she looks forward to life with her new caretaker. In working with the initial border, I have to use a thread that's very, very long so it'll go around with no break, no knots, no new introduction of new thread. And tangles can happen, but when they don't, I know it's a bit of magic happening and I just LOVE that!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXnI_cZgF3YgGZElxhpSRuPI9J8atHakJ42DqzzaPg0ZqJ29v8xCPOEqO9h7pugG9g18UvLnhJb2o5jBCZYtrVYWu2WN4V2Txyq4wdAY-0kkG-fuN9-a1R5ACpLsmQ5FeJlZ0DPikLFYPBEFg5Ib4tA_EoV_LZYTMXfn82Aem9YQQS4gMj9Diq7TlWFaO/s2530/IMG_5087.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2530" data-original-width="2403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXnI_cZgF3YgGZElxhpSRuPI9J8atHakJ42DqzzaPg0ZqJ29v8xCPOEqO9h7pugG9g18UvLnhJb2o5jBCZYtrVYWu2WN4V2Txyq4wdAY-0kkG-fuN9-a1R5ACpLsmQ5FeJlZ0DPikLFYPBEFg5Ib4tA_EoV_LZYTMXfn82Aem9YQQS4gMj9Diq7TlWFaO/s320/IMG_5087.jpeg" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She had something to say about her necklace straps.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The next step was to choose the beads for the straps that would compose the necklace. I had a couple to choose from: some round ones that had the iridescent colors of beautiful hematite, or the rondelles, which you see here. She most certainly wanted the rondelles. They are not "pinchy" as flat heishi beads can sometimes be, they're smooth yet their shape blends beautifully with the cab, which is mostly horizontal. So another night passed with old movies and me sewing, sewing, sewing.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkN-rr9bqSnNKR8ZdcPHACAzQashWZjyNKvn0F1m7npcZ_563QNVNcTO6TODEZ9IOKHcYnklaUoxATM63erh-7YtuExhOskyyXV7yvDbg6aRDbtRLP2RaAs0u_BEkX2m_z-EcH8EMiPx_u8hBSV-EuFtQjynh3YyMIfrRuH2kwi1d9CusuYzrTRxCA3SxC/s4032/IMG_5091.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkN-rr9bqSnNKR8ZdcPHACAzQashWZjyNKvn0F1m7npcZ_563QNVNcTO6TODEZ9IOKHcYnklaUoxATM63erh-7YtuExhOskyyXV7yvDbg6aRDbtRLP2RaAs0u_BEkX2m_z-EcH8EMiPx_u8hBSV-EuFtQjynh3YyMIfrRuH2kwi1d9CusuYzrTRxCA3SxC/s320/IMG_5091.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up and back, up and back, pay attention!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>To do the necklace straps, I use 6lb WildFire line, which has a final tensile strength of 24 lbs on each side, so it's strong, and it will last a long, long time, given proper care, after all, it's jewelry. Easy care means don't get it wet and give it some light attention with a soft cloth now and then. She has a gold-plated magnetic clasp, which makes for really easy on/off but is very strong so she will not come off until you're ready to take her off. I'm picky about that. She also has wire guards protecting the cording next to the clasp so it won't rub against the loops of the clasp. I go through four times, and yes, I have to pay great attention to every single needle insert to make sure I pick up all the seed beads and don't skip any (otherwise the thread will show, a total no-no) and don't pierce any thread that's already in there. I'm good at this now.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ng9SoRAwFnzi9PXyDG76Fi6fsCPT7FQvGTtK7grBQKSks49rVnlOfu336rImhj52iNPvPDqfdak4eTifW32RTXxSRlHUGTyzgds0SuTjOov2F3ZStgPCAbMXDu0UJGiW77weZHat1ITHg13kRwwW2AovdkQFOD0bvjY5cp4VibWl8M8VEpXRfCpFyZrG/s2599/IMG_5102.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="2599" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ng9SoRAwFnzi9PXyDG76Fi6fsCPT7FQvGTtK7grBQKSks49rVnlOfu336rImhj52iNPvPDqfdak4eTifW32RTXxSRlHUGTyzgds0SuTjOov2F3ZStgPCAbMXDu0UJGiW77weZHat1ITHg13kRwwW2AovdkQFOD0bvjY5cp4VibWl8M8VEpXRfCpFyZrG/s320/IMG_5102.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An indication of size with my liberty quarter.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>She's not too big and not too small, just right. So the next step is to trim all the purple ultrasuede from around the cabochon and attach the backing so the threads and knotting won't show. I always do the necklace straps separately in case there might be changes needed later so I don't have to redo the whole piece, should changes be required. She called for tiny gold-plated accent beads to introduce the necklace straps and I just love them. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHV-pIVmdKpO9Rs2VDPdrgyl3omTfzV9NjJHLGY4AGaX-H0hpOj9-881rTsm1w39BIo52fPQiy4ohfaD4gljb7TgRCt95Kk2a6gIj_tOJxIZFiCNlvr6fqzFrq3_kBjS1KqO9R4shGLLo7Q5TJv7tRhYrW1bkoMczBYXwTJHWL9MeEEgF91JDi5TLqi1K/s3202/IMG_5106.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3202" data-original-width="2824" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHV-pIVmdKpO9Rs2VDPdrgyl3omTfzV9NjJHLGY4AGaX-H0hpOj9-881rTsm1w39BIo52fPQiy4ohfaD4gljb7TgRCt95Kk2a6gIj_tOJxIZFiCNlvr6fqzFrq3_kBjS1KqO9R4shGLLo7Q5TJv7tRhYrW1bkoMczBYXwTJHWL9MeEEgF91JDi5TLqi1K/s320/IMG_5106.jpeg" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does she want fringe?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>One of the last steps before I do the final backing and border is to listen and see if the cab wants fringe. Well you all know I'm a total fringe girl and would deck myself out in Western leather with fringe all over the place, plus Bohemian beading with fringe down to my navel, but I must listen and she was very discreet. "Just a bit," she said. So I did. And then I glued the final backing on and had to wait 72 hours for the glue to cure, because I found out the hard way that if I don't wait, I get glue brainy working on it and sniffing it so close to my face and my pupils dilate and I feel just awful. But after 72 hours it's all cured and no more fumes to escape. </div><div><br /></div><div>So finally the ultrasuede backing is on and I trim it with my special super sharp scissors, praying that I don't cut any of the border threads, which I keep close to the piece itself, and I can sew the shimmery beads around, going through them twice so they sit all aligned and beautiful. And voila! She's done! Just waiting for her adventures with you. She helps you to keep your dreams close and never give up on them XO</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv8Et7OSqlHX_Epcw5LB_th7Ht3jByzVSzyOKMFR4rmbw6HQsufFjQTDZI9Aoy5d2p6-vkhp4TIRkYkdQQkw1IQcJ7pP8rtmB7q99-eQVwl4P-k-VbYXweOCsYO7QwupVRKkpcldzdr-ROPoGq94w0F-HGcCt3zrKkTMle5qZBnMxgW8F4T5FTeFuCYtV/s4032/IMG_5112.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv8Et7OSqlHX_Epcw5LB_th7Ht3jByzVSzyOKMFR4rmbw6HQsufFjQTDZI9Aoy5d2p6-vkhp4TIRkYkdQQkw1IQcJ7pP8rtmB7q99-eQVwl4P-k-VbYXweOCsYO7QwupVRKkpcldzdr-ROPoGq94w0F-HGcCt3zrKkTMle5qZBnMxgW8F4T5FTeFuCYtV/s320/IMG_5112.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TA DA!! Here she is! In a bit of evening sunlight. </td></tr></tbody></table>Twilight time for this photo, and the cabochon that has captured a dream or more, inspired by The Big Friendly Giant....<br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1fZg0hhBX8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1fZg0hhBX8</a></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>She will be available at <a href="https://www.artalacartepa.com/" target="_blank">Art a la Carte</a> in Bellefonte in the next few days. Or contact me at dreamkeepercreations@gmail.com.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-32553375867025676592024-01-09T17:07:00.000-08:002024-01-09T22:09:25.341-08:00Happy Journeys Sweet Jess on Cupcake Day and Always XO<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHkHjVcviKldNsZ_njxyImAeD0xkXGmnauduRSH4VwZ8lQxyk3q7uW4t4Qmu7MAD23IQD-XR1LDFCkY12rmmQwHqtFFq4O6XBmQdUkZUj05t52kOFr79rxoKNP48XOcIIOezxLRfVIwPwB_mpQ08AXMwzqq36R6ulxZwShyphenhyphenTX9jog8_u8Q-_StlVOtVg_/s604/n510832201_1857528_4335-1%20(dragged).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHkHjVcviKldNsZ_njxyImAeD0xkXGmnauduRSH4VwZ8lQxyk3q7uW4t4Qmu7MAD23IQD-XR1LDFCkY12rmmQwHqtFFq4O6XBmQdUkZUj05t52kOFr79rxoKNP48XOcIIOezxLRfVIwPwB_mpQ08AXMwzqq36R6ulxZwShyphenhyphenTX9jog8_u8Q-_StlVOtVg_/s320/n510832201_1857528_4335-1%20(dragged).jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Jess herself, little minx XO!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Happy Celestial Birthday my beloved Starchild, Sweet Jess! Thank you so much for all the inspiration you gave me while you were here physically for 26 crazy wonderful years, and for all that you continue to share from your Heaven! What joy I had this past April as I had the chance to sponsor an exhibit of your stunning photos at <a href="https://framingstatecollege.com/" target="_blank">State College Framing Company and Gallery</a> for a couple of months. What an honor to be able to share your talents, and to be able to show people the world through your eyes. I've never had so much fun as I did working with John, Jeff, and Kevin, who helped in the various processes of mounting the show. I'm sure that at the party the first night you were there in spirit, enjoying it all with us. It is also a complete joy to have some of those beautifully framed photos hanging in our home. They shine color and nature and beauty, radiating your joy and peace and making our hearts sing. Thank you for capturing those gorgeous moments in time. I love to think of all the time you spent with your camera pursuing your passions.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPit2t5jYmjsmzvRMnPxgbAtp-tzcl-4ESLEDZpzjs-pdEhmhLGuAvQRR4y8LlxpuiuYzFzntXt_fcbZfsIH28KLuKIPr-96LHPWthI8PSrARzNkO9-ItnRjPEsdMP_CWWd39vPWRItpjiH44s_kSMgpUWkf1AMnt7bV5TUwKuNYkR2k6fEn9gOCypOfM/s1536/FH000019.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPit2t5jYmjsmzvRMnPxgbAtp-tzcl-4ESLEDZpzjs-pdEhmhLGuAvQRR4y8LlxpuiuYzFzntXt_fcbZfsIH28KLuKIPr-96LHPWthI8PSrARzNkO9-ItnRjPEsdMP_CWWd39vPWRItpjiH44s_kSMgpUWkf1AMnt7bV5TUwKuNYkR2k6fEn9gOCypOfM/s320/FH000019.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world through Jess's eyes... <br />(Click on the photos if you'd like to enlarge them.)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcOovNLRdpLZdJ47C85RImNiwikmMsEDgm3WknPfMD9ggni0LiLolG1oQd8r0ZqwTgum1WephSctbh0lU7Q38UITApEF5zYBQEHmjZt8YkNMobIICxssOMJB2iJ35PvgQOD1jI56zt2VvX0oBCRIcd8ITFX7saVJgKCqgNurV3T03gXUlDKoorvMkbl2G/s3000/FallPicofAlderLake%20-1F%20-%20NYI.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1833" data-original-width="3000" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcOovNLRdpLZdJ47C85RImNiwikmMsEDgm3WknPfMD9ggni0LiLolG1oQd8r0ZqwTgum1WephSctbh0lU7Q38UITApEF5zYBQEHmjZt8YkNMobIICxssOMJB2iJ35PvgQOD1jI56zt2VvX0oBCRIcd8ITFX7saVJgKCqgNurV3T03gXUlDKoorvMkbl2G/s320/FallPicofAlderLake%20-1F%20-%20NYI.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jess's photo of Alder Lake, happy place!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU84tH-HnPS7bc3cnOinfl9843pS7eKAvlVi4WYbmSm5AtKriWpZfaUQA6e0n-9IGSXA5mKQ8D62AbRBByxDM3lhXnTzDoaYv0N6uXsmKMwevuD1nZBDI4YjC7xN-hZHQGmnZ9_TEuP86QRcNznWJIWiU4G51vqBE3yuG9pPWAquzb1P6IWzpzLUt-L2b/s1536/FH000021.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU84tH-HnPS7bc3cnOinfl9843pS7eKAvlVi4WYbmSm5AtKriWpZfaUQA6e0n-9IGSXA5mKQ8D62AbRBByxDM3lhXnTzDoaYv0N6uXsmKMwevuD1nZBDI4YjC7xN-hZHQGmnZ9_TEuP86QRcNznWJIWiU4G51vqBE3yuG9pPWAquzb1P6IWzpzLUt-L2b/s320/FH000021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you hear the song of the water?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-7YWuhQXt3ZO40xs4lKq6hSm9swUSnkFtpihtY32vdUgS8PMbjhx1VgFn4mtvUSvVV3SXnIpuiqpBL5wIepdlnDAZoj2jCeGgmZZXYU312_wxWEgboZVXwix1g_ZckS9nQa1yFoTmCMRrFNIjEIvY0zNPCZ2NE74d4MGRQDt5mcKLT1hnYP9HGEZgE5h/s1728/Green.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1728" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-7YWuhQXt3ZO40xs4lKq6hSm9swUSnkFtpihtY32vdUgS8PMbjhx1VgFn4mtvUSvVV3SXnIpuiqpBL5wIepdlnDAZoj2jCeGgmZZXYU312_wxWEgboZVXwix1g_ZckS9nQa1yFoTmCMRrFNIjEIvY0zNPCZ2NE74d4MGRQDt5mcKLT1hnYP9HGEZgE5h/s320/Green.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My FAVORITE photo that Jess ever took!<br />We have it enlarged and it hangs in my bedroom. <br />Just makes my heart sing out loud every time I see it!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtbk7i3IS2tYok0LwLlcRyW6SgGZmbnbiWAuQH7asLv0z-u1f5mHRq8Tlb5P1KooskH_9KLx2ooHrKgAhOdM8FlVFWXGafL9jixqg9XIqcaSnYSF3FrNZPzlaKa07ixkJiAmbznE-C4FYKBfpxf5Xl_8r-XCiT-IQwBBz8fDO7ro_CSB_W8i0_ap2bT6y/s1536/FH0YH00007.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtbk7i3IS2tYok0LwLlcRyW6SgGZmbnbiWAuQH7asLv0z-u1f5mHRq8Tlb5P1KooskH_9KLx2ooHrKgAhOdM8FlVFWXGafL9jixqg9XIqcaSnYSF3FrNZPzlaKa07ixkJiAmbznE-C4FYKBfpxf5Xl_8r-XCiT-IQwBBz8fDO7ro_CSB_W8i0_ap2bT6y/s320/FH0YH00007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Jessie's road trips and the happy place of some<br />wonderful people she met along the way. <br />Look carefully, do you see the tipis?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlIhGe92ZEY-yoUJp294_iDg4oDtmQycrUiG9r7jH1snXzB5ahXUPrM0PUQ0gHxJjTM2pCmK4V0nB46fdmdKyMUpwnXNt00m6Vyq5MCCygZ8EoSAToiqyHCYP9TfvkM_C-jJFr0fjuG9EgJmcmpAyMldirghcPYUUaTNTgxmXe-If8eByQhfoAfgY5rOw/s1032/IMG_7524.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="774" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlIhGe92ZEY-yoUJp294_iDg4oDtmQycrUiG9r7jH1snXzB5ahXUPrM0PUQ0gHxJjTM2pCmK4V0nB46fdmdKyMUpwnXNt00m6Vyq5MCCygZ8EoSAToiqyHCYP9TfvkM_C-jJFr0fjuG9EgJmcmpAyMldirghcPYUUaTNTgxmXe-If8eByQhfoAfgY5rOw/s320/IMG_7524.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the beginning...<br />Jess and me when she was about 2 and 1/2 XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVteyu7fuKp2KYUAhzbkXPvrBVNfavjOk9dHwGKpK-TqQN5hvGN1axS6PdTQuayfaQXmaH7k_h3yw_r9FHshd7SvCn-2OHP0KanawQ8fkFFO4NU1sQT1l5xYORBYX9UXKTZLTPWjZb846GC3MCp_ZpTBpkHBzgLd8AOWMDZ9nm6vA9uE4C-jag02jgP33J/s292/JessWithDolls.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="247" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVteyu7fuKp2KYUAhzbkXPvrBVNfavjOk9dHwGKpK-TqQN5hvGN1axS6PdTQuayfaQXmaH7k_h3yw_r9FHshd7SvCn-2OHP0KanawQ8fkFFO4NU1sQT1l5xYORBYX9UXKTZLTPWjZb846GC3MCp_ZpTBpkHBzgLd8AOWMDZ9nm6vA9uE4C-jag02jgP33J/s1600/JessWithDolls.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jess enjoyed teaching. <br />She used puppets and music and always had a captive audience. <br />She used her monkey puppet George in her studio later, <br />as a professional photographer and always got smiles from the kids.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMap26qyoHwT678AJ8Nhku-pRPbK42u0PPbMWjvD2KzKzsbEy3nuXN_sSg6BIaFtyjpchKst9K5JQiOShb805aGuJJGojy2A0W05yx2EORHBGjHiepKiCMJPj1NEJoEwYtpHDeVK8yFMmzoKwHXGm3YxSUISTPskKM44sv5LRmT7MKTFpeSNHisDJIHN7/s1452/DSC_0062.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="1263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMap26qyoHwT678AJ8Nhku-pRPbK42u0PPbMWjvD2KzKzsbEy3nuXN_sSg6BIaFtyjpchKst9K5JQiOShb805aGuJJGojy2A0W05yx2EORHBGjHiepKiCMJPj1NEJoEwYtpHDeVK8yFMmzoKwHXGm3YxSUISTPskKM44sv5LRmT7MKTFpeSNHisDJIHN7/s320/DSC_0062.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved to write, and she loved beautiful nature, <br />and of course she loved talking on her phone with others ALL THE TIME!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZEIsgUodHhB3kWpIm6ARgy0mILSUjKC2ee3Ge4nKQnipl4JR6zH3JOMQDpglI6IurIAqHTsvdgWZz54vvP5RTWjSJ2z-XrZbg2JZuBSdnsZIl496wg-FDYR4zZ4-ZveBna2L4KAx81XLHTTMksYzIxqPl4o9mjorAleVNQzSiNaJ1AnxZEsWogUzTUxv/s800/IMG_6048.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="597" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZEIsgUodHhB3kWpIm6ARgy0mILSUjKC2ee3Ge4nKQnipl4JR6zH3JOMQDpglI6IurIAqHTsvdgWZz54vvP5RTWjSJ2z-XrZbg2JZuBSdnsZIl496wg-FDYR4zZ4-ZveBna2L4KAx81XLHTTMksYzIxqPl4o9mjorAleVNQzSiNaJ1AnxZEsWogUzTUxv/s320/IMG_6048.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She LOVED black olives <br />and we'd go through a whole can just between the two of us, <br />and just like that with our fingers! I still do it too, lol. XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSlCTBR_LE1JduOcXbLhkvVziWt1epxXvlj6Vib0jwqUB5Ux6MDSUnbhelzOETH-FsVGiXuXYBooKVG6RWlG6ZJMwYLwNfS08kr9lqD7-cuws6hEwC1E2If5htAvVskE6grMsVcZ3OaUwBe_AP5kPYZJY28wy9P1t-eXdiaal3SR9sUeM0R32-QEAju7K/s2592/IMG_5833.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSlCTBR_LE1JduOcXbLhkvVziWt1epxXvlj6Vib0jwqUB5Ux6MDSUnbhelzOETH-FsVGiXuXYBooKVG6RWlG6ZJMwYLwNfS08kr9lqD7-cuws6hEwC1E2If5htAvVskE6grMsVcZ3OaUwBe_AP5kPYZJY28wy9P1t-eXdiaal3SR9sUeM0R32-QEAju7K/s320/IMG_5833.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved poetry and liked to read it as well as write it. <br />Even had some published!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzwpl-JXVnFfswWZwXB648_QjYeGkT1nghCntkUGvccvHmAEsP6rAguH2yBaWnxg2jjyNfGkioWJokl__FODDpXlw7d4yf6_mCtrOD6gTdTukH84t0vW-PgF6NoAE0FiHnxJZWshFw725yOShDDMKeIriSztjbDB8hbwRaUxAzcMXAQ3SHo3LlktebYXA/s3072/JessPansy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzwpl-JXVnFfswWZwXB648_QjYeGkT1nghCntkUGvccvHmAEsP6rAguH2yBaWnxg2jjyNfGkioWJokl__FODDpXlw7d4yf6_mCtrOD6gTdTukH84t0vW-PgF6NoAE0FiHnxJZWshFw725yOShDDMKeIriSztjbDB8hbwRaUxAzcMXAQ3SHo3LlktebYXA/s320/JessPansy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved humor and being silly. That's a pansy on her nose, <br />no hands, because she sniffed it and it stuck! XO lol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1s46sr7dlGh8TT8Y7vDGX__mhl8p-vR60hAscPjIl211MEzODVkEC9XEIP_5EsDJHMdbsDUk8Sd7r_u6HTBhmqmdNHMrAEvhgPcjhvwWP6FPS6RNnXNvehq3rFcaRLLi0Vu7M_zF8F-uWRUx8xQLNaKArM1TbMMbMwa-1NZ6JD8Ba1nQTPR-8sNDMTfW0/s640/Photo%20on%202010-12-19%20at%2022.04%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1s46sr7dlGh8TT8Y7vDGX__mhl8p-vR60hAscPjIl211MEzODVkEC9XEIP_5EsDJHMdbsDUk8Sd7r_u6HTBhmqmdNHMrAEvhgPcjhvwWP6FPS6RNnXNvehq3rFcaRLLi0Vu7M_zF8F-uWRUx8xQLNaKArM1TbMMbMwa-1NZ6JD8Ba1nQTPR-8sNDMTfW0/s320/Photo%20on%202010-12-19%20at%2022.04%20%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved candy and playing with her photos XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkyG0yAMOU_QOjzU45btJ2R1obaR5TF8tPBQlzRpQAQJmPcl_5-sDSZZ71rGDEySTBDGBY54tG_WfIJZo5nQdHuaRNtILhRFf9Hq7zgKVFzkxXuQq92T7ZkdYsGxRYGZb131Sqg8G15HEC91vEq2gKxZlPytP2Ib4n40nbWmlxgX25XRd3Ub_-ZPs1Uv9/s640/Photo%20on%202011-02-08%20at%2023.54.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkyG0yAMOU_QOjzU45btJ2R1obaR5TF8tPBQlzRpQAQJmPcl_5-sDSZZ71rGDEySTBDGBY54tG_WfIJZo5nQdHuaRNtILhRFf9Hq7zgKVFzkxXuQq92T7ZkdYsGxRYGZb131Sqg8G15HEC91vEq2gKxZlPytP2Ib4n40nbWmlxgX25XRd3Ub_-ZPs1Uv9/s320/Photo%20on%202011-02-08%20at%2023.54.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved playing XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwW1xdExxmZHUtzN_YGL1jgX3E2f-yJwPXnoFLaZF0h99QRq3TA9swKghYzNBXm-Twb_HsXk-domNgockm7j23IG_dh7WEJV3veJFVOLgO5jwF0QNnpYhYkygd90dIIWNSWy6efH4m4yIQyx-JK3hX5uCGT1ORLAtjys3rjtJa70WN2EXNY_sDOQvobqG/s3724/17C5FD67-BEE9-4D3E-B4C3-B782EEC70820.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3724" data-original-width="2096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwW1xdExxmZHUtzN_YGL1jgX3E2f-yJwPXnoFLaZF0h99QRq3TA9swKghYzNBXm-Twb_HsXk-domNgockm7j23IG_dh7WEJV3veJFVOLgO5jwF0QNnpYhYkygd90dIIWNSWy6efH4m4yIQyx-JK3hX5uCGT1ORLAtjys3rjtJa70WN2EXNY_sDOQvobqG/s320/17C5FD67-BEE9-4D3E-B4C3-B782EEC70820.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And so many loved her. Auntie Min, my sis, <br />who is with her now XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHkw0vj2Ppje2IQCZojd98GTMdK__Nel56F_2x-d6h32Mg1iZbnsaCi9Oor0e3G2UBRNtJDkOmkymWejQ2tdAZ1L4_RXfydL9oxMd_ZiOQWkgo__LrIiVzFqVBqBD-bIqYZe5n8exq2ttPb_aYbLmGH2NFGa5hs6eaHwX7RC9lsCl6KVgw83-DO722FPz/s2048/11244727_10152831422477544_2858913026913802250_o%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1856" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHkw0vj2Ppje2IQCZojd98GTMdK__Nel56F_2x-d6h32Mg1iZbnsaCi9Oor0e3G2UBRNtJDkOmkymWejQ2tdAZ1L4_RXfydL9oxMd_ZiOQWkgo__LrIiVzFqVBqBD-bIqYZe5n8exq2ttPb_aYbLmGH2NFGa5hs6eaHwX7RC9lsCl6KVgw83-DO722FPz/s320/11244727_10152831422477544_2858913026913802250_o%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The family loved her XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdeFrZnHLf_5VVC8sFLmjxcehrD_3INExVylY6q16_rygWLLB7lveRvgEwhsvR3r4q5AkNfyHn1ntVaPdSWXXufkW5ct5nygU1skwSRM1as6sbpj_LBgtOxZxKEwa9Em84DJFii1GTfWz-wrrd94JDwf9uHwSSgPjp-dmVchj8SwmPRbWC6bbfyG3AXqX/s2256/DSC_0095.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2256" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdeFrZnHLf_5VVC8sFLmjxcehrD_3INExVylY6q16_rygWLLB7lveRvgEwhsvR3r4q5AkNfyHn1ntVaPdSWXXufkW5ct5nygU1skwSRM1as6sbpj_LBgtOxZxKEwa9Em84DJFii1GTfWz-wrrd94JDwf9uHwSSgPjp-dmVchj8SwmPRbWC6bbfyG3AXqX/s320/DSC_0095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joey Max loved her XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5CUC1dertj0WJg99iTAS2HZgzhTdSZf5TLV1JprBogIb9li0ApBAC0ABi8phWHZ-h6qGhb8EToQ2aUqJ_EB7tzGp_0IhtdjlEbGsosAaumAvQraC4FPA5Mw7AdAyi2TrdXJmdI2z1ir8TIwT4n_LwxOp1LPqWl5KbuD_BYLUDYkC56vWuPMfFi2qM8hK/s3008/DSC_0189.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5CUC1dertj0WJg99iTAS2HZgzhTdSZf5TLV1JprBogIb9li0ApBAC0ABi8phWHZ-h6qGhb8EToQ2aUqJ_EB7tzGp_0IhtdjlEbGsosAaumAvQraC4FPA5Mw7AdAyi2TrdXJmdI2z1ir8TIwT4n_LwxOp1LPqWl5KbuD_BYLUDYkC56vWuPMfFi2qM8hK/s320/DSC_0189.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joey's with her in their Heavens now...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndP-ieuYjxkslQ1Q3P0-ImFbPB-xeJD32N4cRvtm6c9QnXOMMYCShJW9JAg3fR9DupFsZqFgelnuFTvZZ88u5ICUVplZAZfEH150gj1gdILvmtc6g0eljJn87Xb3yq7qoBUq2ZyPyeG6rZ9BeVnIgEMfA3vceeK5e21p_jEi-wHUNsMF2NeIlnO4LMOd3/s1915/DSC_0246%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1718" data-original-width="1915" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndP-ieuYjxkslQ1Q3P0-ImFbPB-xeJD32N4cRvtm6c9QnXOMMYCShJW9JAg3fR9DupFsZqFgelnuFTvZZ88u5ICUVplZAZfEH150gj1gdILvmtc6g0eljJn87Xb3yq7qoBUq2ZyPyeG6rZ9BeVnIgEMfA3vceeK5e21p_jEi-wHUNsMF2NeIlnO4LMOd3/s320/DSC_0246%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tyler loved her; he's with her now....</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-4SvI7tF3HioXfO2fQmDS9c2I_KYSvxpsOn78o62SEMpCjhAgTCltNhJlzYKcd75QxLfavowk87UPFm269hZH5oMkeeTRXUWDrNuoCxlaqAqZLZq3Q1I9gfhJQrlQ_JIjo0I0umBDrpmOcOLcX3kNd6avb9WTbNCip-f7pyFm99LOqFBeSwstLs-mqml/s1493/DSC_0835.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1493" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-4SvI7tF3HioXfO2fQmDS9c2I_KYSvxpsOn78o62SEMpCjhAgTCltNhJlzYKcd75QxLfavowk87UPFm269hZH5oMkeeTRXUWDrNuoCxlaqAqZLZq3Q1I9gfhJQrlQ_JIjo0I0umBDrpmOcOLcX3kNd6avb9WTbNCip-f7pyFm99LOqFBeSwstLs-mqml/s320/DSC_0835.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benjamin loved her, he's with her now too...<br />we've got lots of friends in Heaven indeed.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdhF7rW0N-mqXtmN2AWnzpacHdKyCgQLjqFBTxZTHMM9PCc3Z2AGZKMYzLuJmKFYbELf3vF7wR0kB0KjGgWu6D1EzHOIsqWVpNqgKummWwpjH5Wz6lsthavP6-ALiMs0giGs6RSmtvtYS_0yeffLu33uUVx3FTD6IhO3XRjEG5xtDSpVVDjTV2r3WN7HO/s2256/DSC_0612.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2256" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdhF7rW0N-mqXtmN2AWnzpacHdKyCgQLjqFBTxZTHMM9PCc3Z2AGZKMYzLuJmKFYbELf3vF7wR0kB0KjGgWu6D1EzHOIsqWVpNqgKummWwpjH5Wz6lsthavP6-ALiMs0giGs6RSmtvtYS_0yeffLu33uUVx3FTD6IhO3XRjEG5xtDSpVVDjTV2r3WN7HO/s320/DSC_0612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob loved her XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTFZcbJDQ81ryRZzGNS8LD-EAjzp2X1xvQbk7vfjASzZ7lh6OrDfPFX8Oz4kH-G6FdkijX8pgYJ8Cni4OJq39Oa01OcGSkqb0m76dv4fu2bUhcs3ByLvaQfrybFGG4XPcbqkRWZlkZ5X3XBXDk7eMrQkrPiUedPkRw6KVN6gmsKxcvkjdIIy01-lAMH3C/s758/DSC_0347.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="758" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTFZcbJDQ81ryRZzGNS8LD-EAjzp2X1xvQbk7vfjASzZ7lh6OrDfPFX8Oz4kH-G6FdkijX8pgYJ8Cni4OJq39Oa01OcGSkqb0m76dv4fu2bUhcs3ByLvaQfrybFGG4XPcbqkRWZlkZ5X3XBXDk7eMrQkrPiUedPkRw6KVN6gmsKxcvkjdIIy01-lAMH3C/s320/DSC_0347.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I love her XO!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcG909BeIdvGv1cJOVRDKdgI17k9XYIfyJ9nU37zV2ezO7QdSTb3cynC6m7d7mW_LKUJONcKAJv3DJPrxAmRW9hQgZWTgNpm1wMoJZAL9qKu2WvGBL7MR8Xn2H9zkYFBEuYZGpnfRzzcTRSBX8j25gdf0EyewrZSGhcb30OCQibL2PhdbDDqbFkReOSCR/s1044/DSC_0554.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1044" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcG909BeIdvGv1cJOVRDKdgI17k9XYIfyJ9nU37zV2ezO7QdSTb3cynC6m7d7mW_LKUJONcKAJv3DJPrxAmRW9hQgZWTgNpm1wMoJZAL9qKu2WvGBL7MR8Xn2H9zkYFBEuYZGpnfRzzcTRSBX8j25gdf0EyewrZSGhcb30OCQibL2PhdbDDqbFkReOSCR/s320/DSC_0554.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Endlessly...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqYK9ZszCHPxUSyNqvSwAKdUp-s2KowBk674J7hqrF0qS1WMykzP-p2Gvp2uCPyuSB5xo4SAOTYJ7V8tY34V0Zd-7ZCkZE7Mp2ZsJzsYfXpM7NGG45PqQdQIVLh9KjsVaZBX03mw3qtEycKwIrNoXETRXrf49BNv7XnmbowkwmoeklOdgAGCJJiaHhhe-/s3872/DSC_1197.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqYK9ZszCHPxUSyNqvSwAKdUp-s2KowBk674J7hqrF0qS1WMykzP-p2Gvp2uCPyuSB5xo4SAOTYJ7V8tY34V0Zd-7ZCkZE7Mp2ZsJzsYfXpM7NGG45PqQdQIVLh9KjsVaZBX03mw3qtEycKwIrNoXETRXrf49BNv7XnmbowkwmoeklOdgAGCJJiaHhhe-/s320/DSC_1197.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always and always XOXO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk8UhQHSHddiZqg1oTVmKPce8q6gAxZS-B5rPYm5xYZ-9geQ8nrIidLbypKtYikzJLlxlhe4Aof0J5zOFwhN9MWoiY_KPD1ognnIZO3inUp2mKl1OHbKoT3pXTU73PpNdV_7NM8dyW8cYo08J0HD6Aahmi6D3SbXCTn9R5PvEoisMqcqSn2G6ypSY9mXq/s800/IMG_5972.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="597" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk8UhQHSHddiZqg1oTVmKPce8q6gAxZS-B5rPYm5xYZ-9geQ8nrIidLbypKtYikzJLlxlhe4Aof0J5zOFwhN9MWoiY_KPD1ognnIZO3inUp2mKl1OHbKoT3pXTU73PpNdV_7NM8dyW8cYo08J0HD6Aahmi6D3SbXCTn9R5PvEoisMqcqSn2G6ypSY9mXq/s320/IMG_5972.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our embrace and release ceremony in the chiminea while she was home healing XO<br />Lots of orbs in this one, waiting to take her to True Home <br />sooner than we ever expected, only six months later.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eqiQ_-IB8I_K039LUo3Rtz83WVWZuBZ_WV2nMn5t3vTB0dkRNrp5CRB8t6ZSYbiv89Jpatqwnndo2V-246VQvSzX2MDujSqNmyZnUw9tBCnFdBF6O5fF3lavfpiplRPDptlcKgFTusLqYedDNL2N7azZEwC2suEB1cfaSieAghfvrUgLYO9XyFa_Six6/s604/n510832201_1857510_8294.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="604" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eqiQ_-IB8I_K039LUo3Rtz83WVWZuBZ_WV2nMn5t3vTB0dkRNrp5CRB8t6ZSYbiv89Jpatqwnndo2V-246VQvSzX2MDujSqNmyZnUw9tBCnFdBF6O5fF3lavfpiplRPDptlcKgFTusLqYedDNL2N7azZEwC2suEB1cfaSieAghfvrUgLYO9XyFa_Six6/s320/n510832201_1857510_8294.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beauty. She says "You should see me now Momma!" <br />She loves her new light body.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYCuJwuiJr_hYMoE0yB-Ic1v8bWIOQvb_BqcuK1D43_FQ1fmdErnIiwhymoz3OaN67i04QMIpLiD_VIoMHGoPuSeGVIYkImvNuYwefd3fheJ3GhifSijvIL0Wp5AkiZkctHfYE0MBJqYSMrV4AT1G2-q8FQfA5pJQU9aCBdirBaK6zcH3xvKEWnpRXEal/s2556/IMG_1497.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2556" data-original-width="1909" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYCuJwuiJr_hYMoE0yB-Ic1v8bWIOQvb_BqcuK1D43_FQ1fmdErnIiwhymoz3OaN67i04QMIpLiD_VIoMHGoPuSeGVIYkImvNuYwefd3fheJ3GhifSijvIL0Wp5AkiZkctHfYE0MBJqYSMrV4AT1G2-q8FQfA5pJQU9aCBdirBaK6zcH3xvKEWnpRXEal/s320/IMG_1497.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are with you XO</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Thank you for being there this past September to greet my beloved sister, Melinda, as she went back to True Home. I'm sure you're both surrounded by so much love and so many of our loved ones as well. I love to think of all the sweet animals that have been part of our family over the years being there with you all, and of all our relatives and friends, adventuring with you as you please, in your beautiful Heavens. I sure do miss my two favorite girls down here, you both were such constants in my life and my heart feels all filled up remembering all that we shared together.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaSNrakf1XF0-7SyFh-F_vuwMzcWUa71z53f569sC2BOixtIEB45J4dU2JPx2YDMS8JlRSNO3PQd_5H5DY-hUBzhmlJ9G_tTPKL0QGX2NbnmUr_nce9DO__G0oiIceAj0Eilk9hBXR_sufdaHA8PEFbC1l_0775PuKnmrZ70x9j11pZOdlB8Lk_szDIvy/s4032/IMG_5038.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaSNrakf1XF0-7SyFh-F_vuwMzcWUa71z53f569sC2BOixtIEB45J4dU2JPx2YDMS8JlRSNO3PQd_5H5DY-hUBzhmlJ9G_tTPKL0QGX2NbnmUr_nce9DO__G0oiIceAj0Eilk9hBXR_sufdaHA8PEFbC1l_0775PuKnmrZ70x9j11pZOdlB8Lk_szDIvy/s320/IMG_5038.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Cupcake Day my beloved. I love you!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div>Thank you for your love, inspiration, and encouragement as we continue our adventures on Earth. I'll see you on the other side XO!<div><br /></div><div>All my love always, forever and a day,</div><div>Momma XO!<br /><div><br /></div><div>Note: Yep, the lights flickered three times just now. She's blinking at me and sending her love so I know she's with me. Hope you feel your Lovies with you too XO</div></div><div><br /></div><div>To read our story, check out <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Alive-After-Death-Recovery/dp/1736384511/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2O38NBNQJXTK6&keywords=coming+alive+after+death&qid=1704864025&s=books&sprefix=coming+alive+after+death%2Cstripbooks%2C100&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i>Coming Alive After Death</i></a>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Celestial-Jess-Afterlife-Messages/dp/1958729426/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8WCWI8CWPR0Y&keywords=letters+from+celestial+jess&qid=1704864094&s=books&sprefix=letters+from+celestial+jess%2Cstripbooks%2C95&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i>Letters from Celestial Jess</i></a>. If you like them, please leave a review! My contact info is on the back cover of each, and I LOVE to hear from my readers. More lovely books in progress for children in the coming months XO! Stay tuned : )</div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-61312424754785937522023-12-12T22:51:00.000-08:002023-12-12T23:22:07.775-08:00Confession: I Can Get Reeeally Excited About a Sump Pump!!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfn0h6ScG8xMydtfearSzqmYeqBeeZAzzvCQKYVoWvTnR1I8JmYriVTIlR5xgzg9C4vdIsi5s63C7NeKDwaeC5oashxGAh-wnE7KB9xKV5glDleiP0CoXd2j3luip45s0CjuRUMUmu_SE0UQnQcN1XbJ39DzGIQ2fAymaWtyXN_fRdjmCJwjBQ5bMtVPZZ/s640/IMG_2739.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfn0h6ScG8xMydtfearSzqmYeqBeeZAzzvCQKYVoWvTnR1I8JmYriVTIlR5xgzg9C4vdIsi5s63C7NeKDwaeC5oashxGAh-wnE7KB9xKV5glDleiP0CoXd2j3luip45s0CjuRUMUmu_SE0UQnQcN1XbJ39DzGIQ2fAymaWtyXN_fRdjmCJwjBQ5bMtVPZZ/s320/IMG_2739.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh my Gosh! It's a SUMP PUMP!!!!!!!!</td></tr></tbody></table>I was working real hard the past two days to shorten the straps on a cabochon necklace that a lovely lady purchased from <a href="https://www.artalacartepa.com/" target="_blank">Art a la Carte</a> in Bellefonte, where I make my work available along with lots of other fantastic artists. Great place for gifts at any time of year. Today I had planned to deliver it to the shop so Elizabeth could ship it out. Thank goodness the lovely lady was quite understanding and flexible in the delivery because I discovered we were not able to go anywhere!<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbsCk39Hqgh9aTqTr1i4JjSt0zTbONyYC1pPhM50LwSa6WN2N8vKTkx8OVLSOd4vsBLxfXNM6BQq_t6kvvyyQO0j-RKclngXTCcJu-jwHeKsGAdD_HzIKR8c80pvhyGM5u6j03_gxaueiewrVZxJ8pEAPNbgO0dOkzk7POe0I42-HTprDk5LVCYxkI2x2/s4032/IMG_4451.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbsCk39Hqgh9aTqTr1i4JjSt0zTbONyYC1pPhM50LwSa6WN2N8vKTkx8OVLSOd4vsBLxfXNM6BQq_t6kvvyyQO0j-RKclngXTCcJu-jwHeKsGAdD_HzIKR8c80pvhyGM5u6j03_gxaueiewrVZxJ8pEAPNbgO0dOkzk7POe0I42-HTprDk5LVCYxkI2x2/s320/IMG_4451.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely cabochon necklace! <br />That diagonal is smooth as silk and just part of the glass fusion of patterns. <br />I'll be doing a few more of these in different colors.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>I was asleep in my bed, having spent about six hours redoing the necklace straps and adding a new backing and border to the piece (gosh it's gorgeous!), and my plan was to hop in the shower and pop over to Bellefonte after I'd had my tea. HOWEVER, as I cowered under my covers about four hours before I wanted to wake up I suddenly felt the whole house shake and heard noises louder than I'd EVER HEARD BEFORE. Yep, the crew from our local <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Basement+Gurus+Inc/@40.5276479,-76.8882385,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x203dee2f19d13dbd:0xa4944871e4c8b548!8m2!3d40.5276478!4d-76.8882385!16s%2Fg%2F11ssz_80bp?entry=ttu" target="_blank">Basement Waterproofing Gurus</a> had arrived! It felt like there were 50 of them but there were only two, and sometimes five. </p><p>I laid there, not at all ready to leave sleep and start the day, and as I listened to the jackhammer doing its thing I also felt the vibrations, almost like those beds your parents would give you quarters to put in to make them vibrate (see the movie <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8htey3" target="_blank">Bonneville</a> for a great example; nice hotels have them too : ) AND that is one of my FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL TIME for grief recovery and a bit of beauty, poignancy, and humor. So I'm lying in my bed thinking I really have to use the bathroom, but I'm sort of afraid that while I'm on the throne the whole thing will fall either straight down into the basement where some of the men are working, or maybe through the wall and right outside on the sidewalk for all the world to see! Welp, Nature was calling and there was nothing I could do but take a deep breath and risk the relocation of myself along with the throne with all that jackhammering.</p><p>Not only were they inside the house in the basement, hammering up the concrete to build a beeeeeeautiful trench that goes across two walls, they were also hammering up two recessed outdoor stairwells that had French drains installed back when the house was built in 1964. The French drains had never been totally cleaned out and redone, and it was high time since we had experienced many floods in the basement every time it rained heavily. Rob has spent many an hour shop vacuuming the water up, setting up fans, and I purchased a rather expensive dehumidifier to keep the water out of the air down there - it's a true basement, not exactly rec-room potential. Just needed a bit of TLC, which it's finally getting in spades. So these pros are here to completely dig up the French drains, rebuild them, and re-pour concrete, as well as trench for the sump pump in the basement AND take care of three gutter areas where they're trenching and putting in PVC to channel the water from certain gutters, <i>under</i> the sidewalks (to avoid ice flows in winter), and out into the yard, where the soil and grass can accommodate the overflow. BIG JOB!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oOpXfD4JU3onOyrubNlYrYDQlFUGu9WTa9AT4ox12p9iVbyLJOKa64CB72y4k-k5lVQrIhgU9MKUYTBCduZ8E3nXPzBWID_qeQIhGgR8FroZrbTpeaTp8ouyffUaI91YavabPdrurtRy2buEmV9z9YLUd1kph97jP4r6FqudRmwwg8E8Ncs0W8sBgCFP/s640/IMG_2738.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oOpXfD4JU3onOyrubNlYrYDQlFUGu9WTa9AT4ox12p9iVbyLJOKa64CB72y4k-k5lVQrIhgU9MKUYTBCduZ8E3nXPzBWID_qeQIhGgR8FroZrbTpeaTp8ouyffUaI91YavabPdrurtRy2buEmV9z9YLUd1kph97jP4r6FqudRmwwg8E8Ncs0W8sBgCFP/s320/IMG_2738.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infamous basement doorway that lets in a river. <br />Yep, we're replacing the doors too.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We only had a few floods when we first moved in, and we could keep the basement pretty dry in-between storms. But as my Lovies who live in Central Pennsylvania know, our weather has warmed somewhat over the years, and we get rather a lot more water, plus we've had some reeeeally WET years, so the floods were becoming more frequent, hence the pros coming in to help us get a handle on it.<div><br /></div><div>So I made it through the <i>shortest</i> of morning bathroom time, no long, hot shower, no lovely time putting on my makeup, just toss the hair into a clip, get dressed in the dark and get outta there quick as a bunny! Had my tea in the living room with my pup shivering and all atremble on my lap with yet more noise that he couldn't understand (cause <a href="https://dreamkeepercreations.blogspot.com/2023/11/all-everythings-woot.html" target="_blank">we just got the roof done</a>, and that's another story!). </div><div><br /></div><div>While we sat there, I read a sweet little book written by the grandfather of a friend of mine, called <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Warm-Hearts-Cold-Noses-Veterinarian/dp/B0CF4J4G1T/ref=sr_1_2?crid=DW1QJ0HO5J1G&keywords=warm+hearts+for+cold+noses+edward&qid=1702447724&s=books&sprefix=warm+hearts+for+cold+noses+edward%2Cstripbooks%2C91&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Warm Hearts for Cold Noses,</a></i> by Edward R. Dionne, Jr., VMD, which is a true delight and also something I'd happily suggest for your reading pleasure or a gift for anyone who adores animals. Note that the author is the grandfather of my favorite spirit medium, Desiree Denis, and the father of my favorite past life regression expert, Terri Denis both of whom can be contacted at <a href="https://www.spiritguidanceandhealing.com/" target="_blank">Spirit Guidance and Healing</a>, where there's a host of WONDERFUL information on the classes they offer and the variety of their spiritual expertise you can tap, should you be so inclined.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I sat with the pup rereading the same page several times (not due to the content of the story, rather due to the incredible decibels we were privy to) while my whole house shook and we did too. It was GLORIOUS! Because for all the noise and craziness, it's gonna be FIXED BIGTIME! And this really does excite me.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9F77jF5eOk4SMO03excQa-gYizMC2tcdV0KpUiWB2ndK7UkaYhImfHeKuvh0pFokdlOkXPWtCihQ9WGzrXsXPteq-bALFkG9NkpHRvn7VctPhfYPq4PNXDw50hyzqApQvFwQ8wyWQt532MIrSCBYuxwijbMxY_La9nxRRUWnfUn8yfwJ5LwRSDi4O81C/s640/IMG_2737.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9F77jF5eOk4SMO03excQa-gYizMC2tcdV0KpUiWB2ndK7UkaYhImfHeKuvh0pFokdlOkXPWtCihQ9WGzrXsXPteq-bALFkG9NkpHRvn7VctPhfYPq4PNXDw50hyzqApQvFwQ8wyWQt532MIrSCBYuxwijbMxY_La9nxRRUWnfUn8yfwJ5LwRSDi4O81C/s320/IMG_2737.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trench along one of the basement walls. <br />Not done yet, more tomorrow.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>So the pros will be back tomorrow to finish the trench and all the hookups in the basement and they'll pour concrete over it so it'll be all clean and will work for years, YAY!!</div><div><br /></div><div>I said to my husband as we peeked out the windows every so often throughout the day, and stuck our heads out to say thank you to the men working so hard, "They must eat a LOT!" Because just like the roofers, I've never seen anyone work so hard with such heavy materials in all my life. It would kill me in a minute and they go all day six days a week. Wow. So we're getting them some donuts tomorrow because I want to FEED THEM! And they can eat ANYTHING THEY WANT because they work it off in five minutes flat! I might be a bit envious of that, but my little body was never made to do all that heavy muscle stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have no idea what protocol is on house renovation but we feel like we should be here, especially when they're in the house, for the pup's comfort (he was so brave and SUCH a good dog all day) and also to answer any questions or whatever that might come up. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think they'll be two more days, but we might try to pop over to Bellefonte the third day once they're just working out on the back patio and no longer inside, and we'll be taking the pup with us XO He loves to ride in the car.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's kind of amusing because all summer, for <i>months and months,</i> the city has been jammering up the roads in our neighborhood and installing new stormwater and sewage drains, and we've noticed a very fine layer of concrete dust that seeps into the house constantly even with the windows closed. They just finished up and moved along, about a day or two before OUR guys showed up and now I can actually say I think I know the almost metallic, dry flavor of concrete dust in my nose and throat, even though they of course installed plastic all around the indoor work areas. It's worth it. I'm using my saline spray and putting all kinds of respiratory healing herbs and spices in our stew and chicken pot pie of the past couple days, and it's working so far. Glory be! If it doesn't kill me I'll be thoroughly pleased, and I'm surrounding these hardworking guys in all the best ever blessings and thanks a heart can beam out!</div><div><br /></div><div>It is wondrous to get really specialized people to help you take care of things that have been nagging at you with the home ownership thing. And sometimes I even pat the walls of the house and tell her, it's okay, we're just lovin' you back and you're gonna be just fine. Trust the process.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's this week with more to come. Will update as we go. But you know? I'm just so grateful for people who have this very specific knowledge and are willing to work that hard to help us and to feed their families. There is a place for everyone in this world. And that makes me just so happy. </div><div><br /></div><div>I invite you to share some of your renovation stories in appreciation of those who can do what we cannot XO</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>Jen<br /> <br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-41077202286659261382023-11-25T17:00:00.000-08:002023-11-26T22:40:07.833-08:00All the Everythings! WOOT!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvQvDHu5MJ6IXCc6tDgeF58jfvWP1zIiCNQDn6t61ZPvra_Ynkw_3FBdH3AGFUEBixQwVj9qJo-BKW0DAMCVUYAhehhOTQ-VcWfGANWzr0iuh4eB0YlpHbLJX-VhXUE9PKIQVTlpU1DTFlxF8ChyphenhyphennTJojsKh4QVwvPQkacyQVVJadwZveM3Uq0IYsZ4Yh/s3088/IMG_4843.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvQvDHu5MJ6IXCc6tDgeF58jfvWP1zIiCNQDn6t61ZPvra_Ynkw_3FBdH3AGFUEBixQwVj9qJo-BKW0DAMCVUYAhehhOTQ-VcWfGANWzr0iuh4eB0YlpHbLJX-VhXUE9PKIQVTlpU1DTFlxF8ChyphenhyphennTJojsKh4QVwvPQkacyQVVJadwZveM3Uq0IYsZ4Yh/s320/IMG_4843.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OHAI!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Life is feeling SUPER full of ALL THE EVERYTHINGS right now so I thought I'd share a bit with you, especially as this year comes to a close and we get ready for a brand new one. <div><br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDKPkQmtG6SERkuNnzC3_YZShnyZGGhRgPrpmlXoqOKx3ShWxIlE3-3lk95JB4z8bxiA7wIhwOsinbe0VyZF9hj2mwpced9o3gnR1GUSObLfWmk5UCIaG2RICz7J-hoI9D04Vl9i5I5-Ww97Pg9ZZoZnGoZDvoM_XSZs1MMOxUy6v2E1sI4hvji_oQkxP/s4032/IMG_4915.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDKPkQmtG6SERkuNnzC3_YZShnyZGGhRgPrpmlXoqOKx3ShWxIlE3-3lk95JB4z8bxiA7wIhwOsinbe0VyZF9hj2mwpced9o3gnR1GUSObLfWmk5UCIaG2RICz7J-hoI9D04Vl9i5I5-Ww97Pg9ZZoZnGoZDvoM_XSZs1MMOxUy6v2E1sI4hvji_oQkxP/s320/IMG_4915.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She said she wanted color, so I'm ON IT!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>One of my favorite people in all the world is <a href="https://www.elizabethhaydesigns.com/artist" target="_blank">Elizabeth Hay</a>, who owns the gallery/shop, <a href="https://www.artalacartepa.com/" target="_blank">Art a la Carte</a>, in Bellefonte, PA. Elizabeth represents a host of truly talented artists, whose beautiful creations she sells in her shop. Not only that, she is a wonderful mentor and representative, teacher, and one who encourages and inspires us to reach our highest potentials with our creativity. So when she says to me she envisions lots of bright color in my new creations I follow through and what a joy it is for me and also for those who become the new caretakers of what I am able to make for them! That's a win-win all the way around! Thanks Elizabeth!</div><div><br /></div><div>In the photo above you see some of the newest arrivals in my studio and I'm now in the process of matching the necklaces with the gorgeous gemstone teardrops that have just arrived all the way from Jaipur, India. I work directly with this gemstone vendor, whom I've discovered recently, to have these handmade teardrops drilled vertically, customized to my specifications. What a glorious job they do, and what exquisite beads they create - definitely worth the wait and the cost! I'll be bringing these three-strand necklaces and teardrop earrings into the shop through the holidays and well into the New Year as there's plenty to keep me busy for some time to come. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the photo above we have tourmaline, amethyst, natural pink petrified rhodonite, moss agate, carnelian, and lapis lazuli in the heishi necklace beads. Each three strand is composed of about four 15-inch strands of heishi beads, along with either a silver or copper magnetic slider clasp. They look absolutely fabulous on everyone, are easy to wear with anything from jeans to dressy clothing, and the easy on/off clasp is one of my all-time favorites. I confess, I sometimes wear more than one of these necklaces at a time, such as a turquoise one with a red coral one since that is a combination of gemstone energies as old as time and well known throughout many cultures, enhancing the balance of masculine (active) and feminine (intuitive) energies in each of our physical/spiritual systems. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_B71X_BVMD1MuJ0cwpHPtFIGCUcWy7X3LwOqTjkiYtfPzYVN85JnrevnKcj3Bn5HjYyX2WwYU-5ZcCML6x0R5N1X8aV-Xa9bwEAzJgzcsiM9i62keVRTWxsnY7xMTQKdLoUtwlsyDvV6COELy1QZEi7NHLfhrdIqCDA-i9tK2jWeWTZv29KuIBfTAXMDj/s4032/IMG_4916.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_B71X_BVMD1MuJ0cwpHPtFIGCUcWy7X3LwOqTjkiYtfPzYVN85JnrevnKcj3Bn5HjYyX2WwYU-5ZcCML6x0R5N1X8aV-Xa9bwEAzJgzcsiM9i62keVRTWxsnY7xMTQKdLoUtwlsyDvV6COELy1QZEi7NHLfhrdIqCDA-i9tK2jWeWTZv29KuIBfTAXMDj/s320/IMG_4916.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teardrops will become perfect complements <br />for the necklaces awaiting creation.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Though I love to suggest which earrings go really well with the gemstone necklaces, I generally don't confine sales to "sets," preferring to let the wearer choose their mood or expression, which may change according to their outfit, where they might be going, what they'll be doing, and even according to which kinds of gemstone energies they might want to have near them for specific purposes : ) If you'd like to learn more about gemstone energies and properties my favorite source of information is Judy Hall, who's written a number of wonderful books including <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Bible-Collection-Books-Set/dp/184181492X/ref=asc_df_184181492X/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385571509635&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1014770743437489306&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006501&hvtargid=pla-905967912717&psc=1&mcid=b5093b42757b39c6b0e4cc1ae165f69a&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=79288121235&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385571509635&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1014770743437489306&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006501&hvtargid=pla-905967912717&gclid=CjwKCAiA04arBhAkEiwAuNOsIqokMo9PrjG7v4twsRIhnTPNuT2BghDmC6i5L4rv1uD9oNVdG-JpkhoC1QwQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">The Crystal Bibles</a></i>. No worries, I always write down the name of the gemstone(s) on the tag so in case you're not familiar with them you can look them up.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iKSbM0DR2CtgSaP-dpYhKRLQ20jK0inMqPRS6AHV9emsMJfEL1X17rHJCk8tdGDkIP1G3FvZnHMT6S75nC3f5L2075gM38RxyaML0RDT4LxV-0bqs2-hYrBvjomaAsvsa4SH8FgwNp6uVMUzmnPcSSqdkgjN-AL7cPu0CUm6v_-RdEstFpSVr_eWbldf/s4032/IMG_4917.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iKSbM0DR2CtgSaP-dpYhKRLQ20jK0inMqPRS6AHV9emsMJfEL1X17rHJCk8tdGDkIP1G3FvZnHMT6S75nC3f5L2075gM38RxyaML0RDT4LxV-0bqs2-hYrBvjomaAsvsa4SH8FgwNp6uVMUzmnPcSSqdkgjN-AL7cPu0CUm6v_-RdEstFpSVr_eWbldf/s320/IMG_4917.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">True turquoise comes in many natural shades, plus <br />who knew? - turquoise is a gemstone that doesn't mind being dyed!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>The photo above shows the deep blues of lapis lazuli, bright greens of African green chrysoprase, soft greens, golds and purples of natural fluorite, and two different shades of beloved turquoise! WOOT! So that's partly what's happening in my studio in the next few weeks, along with mala making and beautiful cabochon necklace creation, book illustration, and writing. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQFKYwwkRLJnHcOXNFGJWM7PSlH2paAm-WMTNOvRxoVutPs_xMfbC6m5EASZczekoUm955kd5g4BexhQuzFlPnh880ciByknOVRICV4iqbtqk5QJzbunnHGDtvXQX8WNmmsdOr-8ZrNCYiDmxDD5_r1zQy5BaBdt1D5NX2YZ5NsHdD5_Zed47KuJFhyws/s2048/7412e356-c90a-41bd-a799-caa1aa387232.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQFKYwwkRLJnHcOXNFGJWM7PSlH2paAm-WMTNOvRxoVutPs_xMfbC6m5EASZczekoUm955kd5g4BexhQuzFlPnh880ciByknOVRICV4iqbtqk5QJzbunnHGDtvXQX8WNmmsdOr-8ZrNCYiDmxDD5_r1zQy5BaBdt1D5NX2YZ5NsHdD5_Zed47KuJFhyws/s320/7412e356-c90a-41bd-a799-caa1aa387232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above the studio....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>So last week, I wasn't able to get a lot of work done inside my studio because of what's happening above the studio! And ALL OVER THE WHOLE ROOF! Yep! The WONDERFUL roofers came and descended upon our lovely home. At last! I understand that roofs generally need to be replaced about every ten years, and we were willing, but not able, due to four kids and blended family, university tuitions, student exchange programs, and elder care and travels for Rob's elders. So, though we LOVED our beautiful home from the minute we bought it 22 years ago, and she has loved us back, she went down on the priority list until now. WOOT! Now she's right back up there on top!</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh my gosh, we felt in SUCH good hands when <a href="https://www.stoltzfusbrosroofing.com/our-values" target="_blank">Stoltzfus</a> came to take care of this huge job. You know why they won the bid? Not because they were the least expensive, not because of the schedule, not because they were the only ones working around our area. I'll tell you why. We got about six bids on the job, and heard all kinds of things and experienced all kinds of things, from people trying to sell us what we weren't looking for to people who never set foot upon the roof to check things out before bidding, and one day a Stoltzfus representative came and went on up there, walked all over, and when he popped down with the agility of a professional aerial performer he said to my husband, "You had an area that was leaking and I went ahead and patched it, no charge." WOW. Just WOW. </div><div><br /></div><div>So the bids all came in over a period of some weeks, and I said to my husband, who had given the wonderful Stoltzfus guy some cash even though he said no charge, they get my vote. Anyone with values like that who sees a leak and patches it even though they don't yet have the job, wow, THOSE are values I want to support! Those are the people I'll trust with the work we need done! And we've not been disappointed. Gosh, our roofing experience has been just the BEST EVER from start to finish. And they start EARLY! LOL! </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know if I can dig up photos of the "before" up close, but we had peeling paint hanging from the soffit all the way around the house, and we had birds who tried to get into the fascia, and we even had baby tiny little trees growing in the gutters in some places because hubby was busy working and also getting a bit old to go up and clean out the gutters anymore, so okay. We were THAT house in the neighborhood. Didn't even have to decorate for Halloween, already done by Nature's helpers. </div><div><br /></div><div>So pretty much every day for a week we huddled in the house, comforting our pup while they banged on every square inch of roof, tearing off anything that needed it, replacing it, and going through a bunch of really impressive teamwork the likes of which I've never seen. They had all the big boy toys and equipment, and when we peeked out the windows to see what they were doing we saw them talking to each other with hand signs and things that only they understand and aerodynamics that made my tummy go willy. Not a lot of sleep was had since I work til about 3 a.m. many nights, and they showed up at around 7:30 a.m. most mornings. I huddled under the covers until the banging shook the house and I HAD to get up and make my tea, ready or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've never seen such beautiful smiles as these guys flash, so full of some kind of special innocence and beauty. I've never seen such uncompromising eye contact between them and my husband as they discussed various milestones in the process. The eye contact sort of didn't come my way, until (I'm sure I overstepped some comfort zones of Amish behavior expected of women) I poked my head out and interrupted a conversation to declare my thanks and appreciation or ask a question. They were so polite! And they were so GREAT about cleanup every single day! And they laughed as they worked, just that lovely teamwork kind of laughter going on. And they stopped to eat lunch all together sitting on the lawn or in the driveway and I said to my hubby later on the porch, "I bet they EAT A LOT!" because I have never seen anyone work so hard for so many hours, just WOW! </div><div><br /></div><div>So now, we have a brand new roof and new soffit all the way around, new fascia, new gutters, and all of it is such that it makes our hearts SING! Thank you so much Stoltzfus team! You're highly recommended by us indeed! I will put up a finished photo of the great job but I have to remember to go out and take one tomorrow since it's dark out right now. Rob and I tease each other and say, "Wanna go ogle the soffit?!" And we do. We can see it all smooth and fresh and clean from every window and the porch and it makes us so darned happy. And that's just the start of the home renovations. </div><div><br /></div><div>I feel like putting up a sign for the neighbors: Painting coming in the spring, because the soffit wasn't the only thing that had peeling paint. Our home is made of redwood, and we learned during our research (Gosh I LOVE YouTube and the internet for GREAT help with research!) that redwood is one of the very best for siding, BUT it needs special treatment because it is a very oily wood and if you prime and paint it with latex it will bubble and peel (which it did three weeks after we first painted it when we moved in because we didn't know....) Welp, now we do, so we've collected bids for the priming and painting in spring when the weather is over 50 degrees (oil-based primer only, and two coats, back brushed, not sprayed, exterior latex okay but maybe two coats better). Not too many local painters know how to handle redwood properly. So the point is, much research being done on how to do our lovely home justice so it'll last and be as beautiful outside as inside. I just love a job well done!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0DtS8EFCp25PdhppOJu3KOMWxgICaZHlgXeYPv5Gyad7ZC5D8Ae6tgCQiXT35510u69GntRPkRUMpuZuRs5lNhzioEUQxuOhu6b4UagXt9JpvQM5gNzA1IXk5yFE6dcKi5vM_8igLj8hJVflahmM5UH2In3hVFqG13sjNcUIJnb2PEJ71Z63FlzXcNJ3/s3308/4B36C369-F7BA-46E3-909C-5176A5C82D79.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2064" data-original-width="3308" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0DtS8EFCp25PdhppOJu3KOMWxgICaZHlgXeYPv5Gyad7ZC5D8Ae6tgCQiXT35510u69GntRPkRUMpuZuRs5lNhzioEUQxuOhu6b4UagXt9JpvQM5gNzA1IXk5yFE6dcKi5vM_8igLj8hJVflahmM5UH2In3hVFqG13sjNcUIJnb2PEJ71Z63FlzXcNJ3/s320/4B36C369-F7BA-46E3-909C-5176A5C82D79.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beloved dwarf maple, hm....</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>SO, this takes us to what needed to be done BEFORE we could have the roof replaced. We had two huge trees in the backyard which we've loved for all the 22 years we've been here. The first was a "dwarf" maple tree - does that photo look like a dwarf to you? Nope, me neither. My bad. When we first moved in it was just a twin trunk with five finger-like branches sticking out the top. I told my husband it had to go. But it was April with snow still on the ground (20 years ago we still got snow in April). Pretty soon it leafed out with the most delicate, beautiful little leaves that we decided to let it stay. And one day (here's my bad coming) I was gardening under that tree and discovered a bunch of black plastic, you know that icky stuff they put so the tree can't get any water and the weeds stay down. Welp, I hauled OUT all that black plastic so my tree could breathe and grow and flourish and wow, she became the biggest "dwarf" anything you've ever seen! She grew and she grew and she grew until she made a little throne upon which we could sit. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTj9mQM3W0vDH_XYnj4JJJzm8RhFIu0huCzX6o3rwpEqVRYPGq3HhOUovOrx-c8ZrYbjVaEUcU8dW_o6Nt20TERLzePdTOnBcF9__tFI5WOgnDdit5hfwRL21bZi7t5Fbyptl7bhRCz7nmFq6X1g1gIly38HAGn0AaoM1euWf3zzYpkmNn2prJioTXTuh/s4032/IMG_4763.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTj9mQM3W0vDH_XYnj4JJJzm8RhFIu0huCzX6o3rwpEqVRYPGq3HhOUovOrx-c8ZrYbjVaEUcU8dW_o6Nt20TERLzePdTOnBcF9__tFI5WOgnDdit5hfwRL21bZi7t5Fbyptl7bhRCz7nmFq6X1g1gIly38HAGn0AaoM1euWf3zzYpkmNn2prJioTXTuh/s320/IMG_4763.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob on the magical throne.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>You could actually sit, cradled by this lovely maple and watch the sunset, great spot. Also I put birdseed in certain spots and all the critters would come, the chipmunks and the squirrels and a host of different kinds of birds. This tree also shaded our patio table for all those years. Everyone just loved to sit within her embrace. You could even sit under her in a light rain and you didn't get wet; her leaves were thick and plentiful. And then she started getting pretty old. She developed hollows that collected water and bumps and gnarls and scars. And she got WAY TOO BIG so that we only had a sunbeam for about half an hour on the WHOLE PATIO. And she grew up and over the roof. I knew it was only a matter of time until her twin trunks split (either in a great wind, or with the weight of rainwater or snow) and she would fall half on the roof and half in the pool, creating damages we would have a hard time recovering from. So with the new roof coming, we had to make some hard decisions and one of those was to send her back to the Garden in the Sky. It was time. My husband, a horticulturist, taught me that, "Trees have lifespans," and she was way past hers. I couldn't take the chance of having peeps over to eat on the patio and have the tree split and fall on them, it just wasn't safe anymore. ACK! So I sat on her beautiful fairy throne and said goodbye one sunset, and they came and took her away, though her memory will live forever in our hearts. Yes, I loved THAT tree.</div><div><br /></div><div>AND there is one more tree story to tell, that of our beloved Metasequoia. It is a lovely story indeed. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigK8de-cORkoxyBhDv4CGCAw4IIClMTlrWqbb66b0xyYbWlID8GvhYKITjtvHtryPPzWDRF3Pj3z0i95z2qloRvLl6tktX7h0TX4xf0IAZb_lKHhSalo5fHjlndX3dcirNDCtBTglinEFrF04lqUVv3FKSQpqFEXiDC93BPEgfhTT_6jUPZZYGdYfHL-UB/s4032/IMG_4793.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigK8de-cORkoxyBhDv4CGCAw4IIClMTlrWqbb66b0xyYbWlID8GvhYKITjtvHtryPPzWDRF3Pj3z0i95z2qloRvLl6tktX7h0TX4xf0IAZb_lKHhSalo5fHjlndX3dcirNDCtBTglinEFrF04lqUVv3FKSQpqFEXiDC93BPEgfhTT_6jUPZZYGdYfHL-UB/s320/IMG_4793.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our beloved Metasequoia, our "love fern."</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>So if you've ever seen the movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251127/" target="_blank">How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days</a>, you'll be familiar with the concept of the "love fern." Welp, when my husband and I were dating, centuries ago it sometimes seems, we spent a lot of time walking all over the campus where we both worked at Penn State University. And it is a gorgeous campus, with notable plants, including trees, shrubs, urns, and groundcover. Truly beeeautiful. I fell in love with a tree which I asked him about, because it felt beautiful and familiar to me - come to find out it was a Metasequoia, and they grow happily in California, where I'd spent about 18 years of my life. And because he's a little bit sentimental, he procured one and gave it to me! It was our LOVE FERN! It was about 3-4 years old, and we kept it in a pot for a couple of years, until we decided to marry, bought a house, and popped it in the ground shortly thereafter. Well, it grew, and it grew and oh baby, it GREW. Its roots weren't too happy being confined to the folly of a space we had chosen for it, so they headed towards the pool and the house and under the patio foundation, and welp, it became a bit of a problem. So with the new roof going on and the other maple treework being done, we decided that our love fern was becoming a danger to everything out there and we had to send it to the Garden in the Sky too. I said to him, "This is not a sign from Heaven or anything, our love is still strong and fine." He said, "I know." And we collected some tiny pine cones so we could get the seeds and maybe plant a new one.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPQDVOd871swT4wTIQwdJD9XrXewf1elheaBfUPybuV4YYetOIb90pdH7vzbC6JhN9FQ_fsLfI7X67XKsNVCsvQizrSctByok43o2WBp0Pib2jRq7cCCRxHkSonF8b3nbIGmtCQchNnGQOmFGZsXP4lh3BBhZCAfs7rMXzU4IHuDGd13DuQb8QJlvtQpE/s3840/F7BF8B3C-D0FF-4E04-9C81-4C1C2EA87A65.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPQDVOd871swT4wTIQwdJD9XrXewf1elheaBfUPybuV4YYetOIb90pdH7vzbC6JhN9FQ_fsLfI7X67XKsNVCsvQizrSctByok43o2WBp0Pib2jRq7cCCRxHkSonF8b3nbIGmtCQchNnGQOmFGZsXP4lh3BBhZCAfs7rMXzU4IHuDGd13DuQb8QJlvtQpE/s320/F7BF8B3C-D0FF-4E04-9C81-4C1C2EA87A65.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too green? </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We tried last year with some old cones, but they'd already split and there were no seeds, so I put them in a basket in my studio. We tried this year before Meta went to the Garden in the Sky, but they were too young and I was pretty sure they'd not provide us with any seeds, but I put them on my drafting table for a while, just keeping them around. <br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdGPRnXFyalFkizOsiY75hu69l4KQtvdYTM7Irxu308s-j6DtVa-FtQIA4DFxSp6gdfQoq3ZLDUTRkbHXS0leGMX9NmoSH4WRY-c7xp-QVAtvcP-PbghoaVfCg_XOeGeqbXrtuJk2BIO4pK0IEwJDPDXMQAhOltsGxWv5yYzAiblqmSTsY5t5EhYkuwOO/s3840/66E6E4AE-AF61-4B4B-8C08-CCCDB896A09E.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdGPRnXFyalFkizOsiY75hu69l4KQtvdYTM7Irxu308s-j6DtVa-FtQIA4DFxSp6gdfQoq3ZLDUTRkbHXS0leGMX9NmoSH4WRY-c7xp-QVAtvcP-PbghoaVfCg_XOeGeqbXrtuJk2BIO4pK0IEwJDPDXMQAhOltsGxWv5yYzAiblqmSTsY5t5EhYkuwOO/s320/66E6E4AE-AF61-4B4B-8C08-CCCDB896A09E.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh my goodness! Seeds!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And what do you know, but those young, green cones are amazingly resilient, and the house is awfully dry, and they dried out and popped open and produced lots of beeeautiful little Meta seeds! (My son wants to grow one but I've warned him to plant it only in huge territory since it will get very, very big.)</div><div><br /></div><div>AND, who knew? We were growing FURNITURE!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyV-ntjA75WrqZglgV-g-SUwPZqDtIUGiMfvnPp1VCDx4Haa2gIBijcw1V_NWntq9h8L_yqPS1Ltyo2zXeZ6Xew3K-qr09q6Vq4nA3JTxp4KjcRnRP7Eyuy5vxO2so2ypY2ssBQSweAqEypSe9JQB6iZ1pgiIJ1ej-cMkxlCIMGGtC66Z2tw38snG7nnR/s3840/F6B98063-3A73-4062-9C26-BBD4A3C292C4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyV-ntjA75WrqZglgV-g-SUwPZqDtIUGiMfvnPp1VCDx4Haa2gIBijcw1V_NWntq9h8L_yqPS1Ltyo2zXeZ6Xew3K-qr09q6Vq4nA3JTxp4KjcRnRP7Eyuy5vxO2so2ypY2ssBQSweAqEypSe9JQB6iZ1pgiIJ1ej-cMkxlCIMGGtC66Z2tw38snG7nnR/s320/F6B98063-3A73-4062-9C26-BBD4A3C292C4.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, this is gonna be beeeeautiful!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />So maybe it's a Western thing, or maybe peeps here like it too, but when we were in California, we had a chance to visit a place called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Its-a-Burl-Gallery-Wood-Yard-and-Shop/100057592685313/" target="_blank">It's a Burl</a>, where they make all kinds of glorious live edge tables, and furniture out of old growth wood from the forests. I always wanted to buy something from there and say, "Build me a house around this!" It was magical indeed. SO when the tree people came to take care of Meta, I suddenly had the idea that I wanted some of her trunk and asked my husband to ask them if they could save us some. I learned that this is not an uncommon practice (even here on the East Coast, yay!) and they very kindly cut us seven slices, which are called "cookie slabs." If you care to learn more about them, it's very entertaining to look up making <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gML8tHrVO9s" target="_blank">cookie slab furniture</a> on YouTube.com. I've watched several videos on how this is done (it does vary, as do results, but it's waaaaay coooool!). We've promised the kids they can have some of the cookie slabs so they're pretty much all spoken for, but let me put a plug in that if you have big trees coming out, this is a really fun, very special thing you can do with parts of them so they can keep on giving and you can keep on loving them!<div><br /></div><div>So WHEN the roofers came, I noticed our favorite guy eyeing our back porch and couldn't figure out quite what he was looking at. I was afraid I'd insulted him with my Buddhas all over the place, and incense holders and stuff, but it turns out this was not the case. Because when I stuck my head out to interrupt the conversation between him and my husband so as to thank him for all the good work, he took a moment to ask about the cookie slabs which are lined up along the back porch wall, drying (might take 6 months to a year for that)! Turns out he has access to a huge woodshop and has been studying how to make cookie slab furniture for a year! WOOT! So I asked him if he would like to have one of ours (since he was so nice and they fixed our leak without even charging us and all), and he was delighted to say YES! And he was also able to refer us to a shop that can make our tables for us, should we decide to proceed that way, which we likely will. How's that for a GOOD TRADE?! All that time we thought we were growing a love fern and we didn't even know we were growing heirloom quality furniture too!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYexbImlDLWXrIHPKJMN_7K4mqu83o-Rq6oyLxfN86CKakx-w5fPZvbLAwQHc88COutPpzsK_qblyS8xIyadHG4QQVUsfgsgywscY9qDvgbTvYF7X7MCgxHDqMgJcU78Sql9PQ30tifhj8uVWwJ1Is05PGLuZS0uay6KIEacDBpyxWRUv572qZSISBR96w/s3840/128E048D-A101-4C94-AF44-3C8C6034723C.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYexbImlDLWXrIHPKJMN_7K4mqu83o-Rq6oyLxfN86CKakx-w5fPZvbLAwQHc88COutPpzsK_qblyS8xIyadHG4QQVUsfgsgywscY9qDvgbTvYF7X7MCgxHDqMgJcU78Sql9PQ30tifhj8uVWwJ1Is05PGLuZS0uay6KIEacDBpyxWRUv572qZSISBR96w/s320/128E048D-A101-4C94-AF44-3C8C6034723C.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you for your beauty! We loooove you!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So off these beautiful trees went to the Garden in the Sky, and on the way they got to high five my little granddaughter just coming down for her new adventures. I'm in LOVE.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoYNXZQSdIBNTwI2santIYzP8EiHSW0q_7P2xVTiIlN9IJ4Snfh07SikdQax_AY_DjD7Pmf2iDO7cj7CAlcSYeqO2sKAq6yRccPV8t7ToCSaHVxASHDecg-Dv2gAnoHynB8z2czdSuG5rsjqfw4DS374BEF_Gg-kcZqFMIk8iMgQAhTzcFfd0D_xLcq-N/s1600/efa52f9e-68c5-43a5-93cd-378e639c5057.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="747" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoYNXZQSdIBNTwI2santIYzP8EiHSW0q_7P2xVTiIlN9IJ4Snfh07SikdQax_AY_DjD7Pmf2iDO7cj7CAlcSYeqO2sKAq6yRccPV8t7ToCSaHVxASHDecg-Dv2gAnoHynB8z2czdSuG5rsjqfw4DS374BEF_Gg-kcZqFMIk8iMgQAhTzcFfd0D_xLcq-N/s320/efa52f9e-68c5-43a5-93cd-378e639c5057.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lovely!! XOXOXO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeBtUVWwEjCIERhaBLn9oN893GLqRDjlt3vlPi5xAWwt44-m3BVRuggNoBXcRIaNZ-3sFSSce4b5mvRaurSNYSGhUdCRObcHAQFHS1QQYjmgiMTnOUqBqYw6Y64XMnRyPqv_O4fA0i_FzPmHoif3DR_9Y8MEvbjpQJByn07mfn-D7F1F0Dx8OXH8R7ZxO/s1600/73f471ae-a391-4d1c-afe4-3d704fb6cb26.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="747" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeBtUVWwEjCIERhaBLn9oN893GLqRDjlt3vlPi5xAWwt44-m3BVRuggNoBXcRIaNZ-3sFSSce4b5mvRaurSNYSGhUdCRObcHAQFHS1QQYjmgiMTnOUqBqYw6Y64XMnRyPqv_O4fA0i_FzPmHoif3DR_9Y8MEvbjpQJByn07mfn-D7F1F0Dx8OXH8R7ZxO/s320/73f471ae-a391-4d1c-afe4-3d704fb6cb26.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little beauty XO!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Now I snuck this pic and I can't put any names to it because my son and his wife are a little private about the new baby - though I can probably let you know her name is Haia, which translates to "Life." And that she is so full of it and so lovely. I'm a grandmother! My kids are totally entrenched in adulting and the parenthood club! Wowzers! I'm over the moon! I loved the facebook post I put up asking you all what your grandchildren call you and totally appreciate every single one of your responses. Adorable, all! I asked my son what he might suggest, and he said, "How about something from your Welsh heritage Mom?" I had already been leaning towards Nana because it's so friendly, come to find out when I looked up the Welsh (cause I'm Irish, English, Scottish, Welsh, and 1% Melanesian according to the DNA test thing), I found that Nain is a term frequently used, and it's close enough for me! Nana Jen it shall be! Couldn't be happier to watch her grow, and can't wait to meet her and hold her and read to her and learn kidstuff from her and do stuff with her that will be fun. Happy Nana Jen!</div><div><br /></div><div>So THERE we are with the EVERYTHINGS. And if you've made it this far through this way too long but fun blog post, I hope you feel the joy of life, and trust in the process of it, even though it takes some rain to get the rainbows. </div><div><br /></div><div>Love to you and yours, and happy holidays too!</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>Jen<br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-88806225813305179322023-10-21T00:33:00.010-07:002023-10-21T09:24:29.489-07:00Little Bit of Something Special<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWALC-xvxZKMiMlApDfJnNUkd0JeEhxVyIcn7IDOjWE0I0VKmcoIRgwkgaH-5pZ979RBF6tf1W1M_oRV9q8OnQqSycoI7lB3vahhtNIBdNQBwkeF_fW_IWnFFv1mbCJa9XMcwBy8t4bsITkAsjCJ1aQ5rSMiqCs14XdHZZ7APu8nI86INdGgsjjre5cvDL/s4032/IMG_4726.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWALC-xvxZKMiMlApDfJnNUkd0JeEhxVyIcn7IDOjWE0I0VKmcoIRgwkgaH-5pZ979RBF6tf1W1M_oRV9q8OnQqSycoI7lB3vahhtNIBdNQBwkeF_fW_IWnFFv1mbCJa9XMcwBy8t4bsITkAsjCJ1aQ5rSMiqCs14XdHZZ7APu8nI86INdGgsjjre5cvDL/s320/IMG_4726.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something special indeed XO</td></tr></tbody></table>So tomorrow is my sister's memorial ceremony, and though my mind and spirit are doing well with it, my little body surely does protest. Thank goodness her wonderful, loving husband is recording it and zooming it live. I have been too sick physically to be there in person. It has hit hard after nearly three years of her sickness and so many hospital stays for her. My heart has been in my throat or down in my feet and I'm working on getting it back where it belongs....<p></p><p>But there is love, and there is beauty, and there are verrrry special things to hold me together while I recover and learn to carry her in my heart. When there is the death of a sibling who has a family we often don't have the opportunity to inherit something to hold dear, but I am blessed in that I have. </p><p>Years ago I gave my Sis a rather large, beautiful pottery container which perhaps was originally meant to serve stews or soups in but we made it a planter. She always kept it in the window right over her desk in her home study and it flourished there when she was well. As she got sicker with the big C she moved it to an area next to all her other plants and she watered it as she was able, but after many months she became unable to care properly for her plants. And, as many people who are suffering from sickness do, she didn't ask for help. </p><p>So the last time she was in hospital I asked if there was anything I could do, and her loving husband said, "I'm not good with plants, so if you want to stop by the house and water her plants that would be great." So we did, and this container had a bunch of ugh in it and one struggling stem of pothos plant. I watered it but was pretty sure it wasn't coming back.</p><p>Then, after her passing, I inherited the container that I'd given her. It sat in my kitchen for a couple of days and I determined to clean it out and replant it. My thought was that I knew she loved it as best she could, so I would too, to honor a little bit of what she loved. So I washed out the container and prepared it with what I know to do with plants. Oh my gosh I made such a mess in the kitchen, but hubby didn't know because I did a good job cleaning up, lol.</p><p>I washed it all out, cleaned the pot with vinegar to take off the calcium buildup, and layered it with clean tiny gravel, charcoal, a layer of screen, and what fresh soil I had, and there it sat on our kitchen counter, waiting for new baby plants. I wasn't sure what I could or would plant in there. </p><p>I hadn't said anything to my husband, but he's very sensitive, and picks up on a lot, so when I woke up the next morning, I discovered he'd been to the store, and when I went into the kitchen, the counter looked like Christmas! He'd brought home some more potting soil, and four gorgeous baby plants! They were all sitting there along with a bunch of beautiful alstroemeria flowers for me to put in our vases (which we only do in cool seasons since the house is hot in summer and we spend our time outside in the pool).</p><p>So that night I spent about an hour and a half planting the baby plants and making a total mess in the kitchen (sure would love a true mud room, but hey, I can clean up my mess, lol). And it FELT SO GOOD to be giving life back to something she loved. Wow. Every time I look at it, it makes my heart sing right out loud. I LOVE that I can become the caretaker of something she loved. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnsKrCWUk17yrhIK_oWuEKBGc9dqAn889Pa68M9ozf6SRe40-lVCIinP2YfMgc1qg6e9UbD5XhcWNWVH2-wJLdnP7it0ZSBWJeYFi4Jgit4OAEOW6cRAKS4nQaMTZa7Pxp0fFOmEc_rGIToTz_68epsen4i_qfGtD6xchKHG0yemR-hanD8kHVEcvi1pB/s4032/IMG_4727.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnsKrCWUk17yrhIK_oWuEKBGc9dqAn889Pa68M9ozf6SRe40-lVCIinP2YfMgc1qg6e9UbD5XhcWNWVH2-wJLdnP7it0ZSBWJeYFi4Jgit4OAEOW6cRAKS4nQaMTZa7Pxp0fFOmEc_rGIToTz_68epsen4i_qfGtD6xchKHG0yemR-hanD8kHVEcvi1pB/s320/IMG_4727.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbit's foot fern</td></tr></tbody></table>So after I planted the babies in her planter I had one left over, and picked out a lovely vase we haven't used for years because it's kind of huge and when we had sun in our yard before the trees got too big we put peonies in it but with the shade the peony bushes have not produced as much (soon to change with yardbuzz happening) so I figured this fern would be perfectly happy in this vase. Got my inspiration from all those British movies where they show so many absolutely gorgeous flower/plant containers. They do that so well. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zfgzAV2f7KhZPrdSGc_-jj7tB-XaMGb7LQd9inQENeQ6gRmAr1vnEVcbVo_hpP_FLa6tF8c-_97pv9qCuZ80f7Hb22BeuFJ0BxcDftHHQnrzO1YTBNA_FVuV90ICbA-hb0y99i80a_i5J7VQB0azo584-yG4FCVJJFe61dWAbxldMuTijDLY-0APnRBJ/s4032/IMG_4728.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zfgzAV2f7KhZPrdSGc_-jj7tB-XaMGb7LQd9inQENeQ6gRmAr1vnEVcbVo_hpP_FLa6tF8c-_97pv9qCuZ80f7Hb22BeuFJ0BxcDftHHQnrzO1YTBNA_FVuV90ICbA-hb0y99i80a_i5J7VQB0azo584-yG4FCVJJFe61dWAbxldMuTijDLY-0APnRBJ/s320/IMG_4728.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy bunny in the kitchen!</td></tr></tbody></table>And after I had done the planting I spent a bit of time arranging the flowers my hubby brought, so this is what the well-dressed bunny is wearing this week, WOOT. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIw7GlmlcD8Skte6mgffjf1GH8-7nonfe-nZVD-yoGvlimZ1OC0kX_B2qcb2ACcEbiDLxyZW_OpnFt0DafL961qZefRi2K5l44ZVRQUJTEv_8fdnzO1uoTWPQuY6DZNyB9j4oVcxoRFaNP4en0VUgJdrTI16sRvBNOVXvEuxYnYtmiuMI_4QoDYXjhSzZ/s4032/IMG_4729.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIw7GlmlcD8Skte6mgffjf1GH8-7nonfe-nZVD-yoGvlimZ1OC0kX_B2qcb2ACcEbiDLxyZW_OpnFt0DafL961qZefRi2K5l44ZVRQUJTEv_8fdnzO1uoTWPQuY6DZNyB9j4oVcxoRFaNP4en0VUgJdrTI16sRvBNOVXvEuxYnYtmiuMI_4QoDYXjhSzZ/s320/IMG_4729.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite vase from Lynn Anne XO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And I had enough flowers to fill my favorite vase from one of my favorite friends, the artist Lynn Anne Verbeck. I just love her work. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzV01Mfj6s1u-HBfpKfr7Bw8n1WG5-17wK9xhdDNJDSXIYZo0rvkCdvXJqbJmmJM-oJepwMNhx2_mY9qP8hgwzNCpklRZVqloju5KzElt-BN3YLas0LqXAGoy5ifN9WD6stzEhFA-rXUFZsaE-yHD6wdu9FUDOsGgcxFUcAlXyJnXUTSES-xAQ9bc_Lhy/s4032/IMG_4730.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzV01Mfj6s1u-HBfpKfr7Bw8n1WG5-17wK9xhdDNJDSXIYZo0rvkCdvXJqbJmmJM-oJepwMNhx2_mY9qP8hgwzNCpklRZVqloju5KzElt-BN3YLas0LqXAGoy5ifN9WD6stzEhFA-rXUFZsaE-yHD6wdu9FUDOsGgcxFUcAlXyJnXUTSES-xAQ9bc_Lhy/s320/IMG_4730.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just LOVE.</td></tr></tbody></table>AND I had a friend come and she gave me some beautiful white roses and told me she's thinking about me tomorrow and wishing me love and peace. Aren't friends just wonderful?! Yep!!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH34s6Ny26Jh6rKyb5l5ZA4k2jNFI99T6gnUhQQ9VbrjuXVKWTK4zthgT_LipNDZWJvQxWPS5AF9gyWld35Qr0qCnuj0zhaapY-MwcMIZiCeMoDHStgDiFHiTmD-FE6u5F5TztktFO0h92z2rTKD6kW_ezEaAxN2PFalkeadOUQQYedk00xI6190lVV2VC/s4032/IMG_4731.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH34s6Ny26Jh6rKyb5l5ZA4k2jNFI99T6gnUhQQ9VbrjuXVKWTK4zthgT_LipNDZWJvQxWPS5AF9gyWld35Qr0qCnuj0zhaapY-MwcMIZiCeMoDHStgDiFHiTmD-FE6u5F5TztktFO0h92z2rTKD6kW_ezEaAxN2PFalkeadOUQQYedk00xI6190lVV2VC/s320/IMG_4731.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little light goes a long way.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And the last thing I did on that night was refill my little Moroccan lanterns with new electric tealights, to lend their magic to our evening ambiance.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I felt all filled up. With love. </div><div><br /></div><div>It doesn't take much to feel all filled up with love and sometimes working with plants and caretaking a bit of something our Lovies loved goes a long way to filling our hearts right up with all the good stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>May you feel the good stuff too, in all your experiences of life and the passing of loved ones. May you have something to hold dear, and if you don't inherit anything, take the love and memories and create some little thing that makes your heart sing. I'm sure our Lovies can feel when our hearts sing with them and they're singing right with us XO</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>Jen</div><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-43433387533386745752023-10-06T23:24:00.031-07:002023-11-25T22:40:44.964-08:00Hello Goodbye Turn, Turn, Turn<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN86aCKy1no5vr6oA4WHLbrDWATJ6Fw7AW3WGORXKuiZbvKLTqG7NuAaFDpQc02zECQgi32ZImMQAW6a3NLXCXYodub58Jwxb882XbiApZVkXZ_xu1JLYBB0tbeNkS0-BF53S_5mpCWYHaL6ne76Qgd8syb2_Maxy3svDdC78XR5zxGross6llAtEYj-wG/s1600/60fd615f-1715-4d5c-9890-bc72108ce75e.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN86aCKy1no5vr6oA4WHLbrDWATJ6Fw7AW3WGORXKuiZbvKLTqG7NuAaFDpQc02zECQgi32ZImMQAW6a3NLXCXYodub58Jwxb882XbiApZVkXZ_xu1JLYBB0tbeNkS0-BF53S_5mpCWYHaL6ne76Qgd8syb2_Maxy3svDdC78XR5zxGross6llAtEYj-wG/s320/60fd615f-1715-4d5c-9890-bc72108ce75e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am making muffins, because food is love.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Hell of a year, and it's not done yet. Here is me making muffins. Because, yes, food is love. In this photo, we're about a year into my sister's diagnosis of the big C. NOTHING EVER can steal her sparkle. It comes from her eyes and her heart and it goes out boundless. As it always has. She's a Big Spirit and always has been.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4RisfcSjPdx493wt24aOsxahzW0iZkYqHg_rpCP2B4uwd9H4vmz9tux-yty2iwlhl9ChnqQoFM9F634Jh39V0lOmJFjqPs9AfchzUkYuEDQuOa3KYvovrM3kJ_Bnc3mda4bfsLBsq3X3Lc-Qy7qHORmRTIy5ass0t01zn2FFVYeMLxIybrx8tdujm85i/s1012/IMG_2322%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4RisfcSjPdx493wt24aOsxahzW0iZkYqHg_rpCP2B4uwd9H4vmz9tux-yty2iwlhl9ChnqQoFM9F634Jh39V0lOmJFjqPs9AfchzUkYuEDQuOa3KYvovrM3kJ_Bnc3mda4bfsLBsq3X3Lc-Qy7qHORmRTIy5ass0t01zn2FFVYeMLxIybrx8tdujm85i/s320/IMG_2322%202.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those eyes sparkling. My little minx.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>My beautiful sister passed back to True Home September of 2023 and wow I miss her so very much, but still, I hold dear, so dear the love she gave and gave and gave. I hope she feels my love returning ALWAYS. <div><br /></div><div>During her sickness and physical challenges my sister was pretty fierce about owning her shit. I respect people who are comfortable with their imperfections (and mine). So she did go places without any wigs or head covering (though I bought her some lovely, soft caps for the cold days of winter, which she liked a lot). And it's good because we're all human and there isn't a one of us who doesn't have stuff to own up to though some of us sometimes pretend otherwise. Not buyin' that. A little color can add a whole lotta life.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were born into the era that believed and taught us to believe that tobacco was good for you, HA! Check out those old commercials and the marketing campaigns, and the history of tobacco itself, which is truly interesting, going back to the Natives who taught that too much can steal your wind and encouraged reverence and moderation, as they did with all things, oh so wise were they. In fact, once when we were kids my father took us for a tour of a cigarette factory! Fascinating, and smelled sooo good. But probably not something we'd do with kids today....</div><div><br /></div><div>However, the dollar often wins in our society (especially when we are not informed and wise with our buying choices) and we were unfortunately just as malleable then as peeps are now to marketing campaigns and propaganda about single use stuff and things we can't recycle. My family landed here in the 1600s and my Southern Dad's side were farmers who raised some of the <i>best</i> pure tobacco ever for many years, though he left and put himself through college and became a civil engineer, ending up with a career that took him and the family all over the world building, not tearing down or destroying or creating things that might hurt people. I've often wondered if our whole family is cursed with the karma of the tobacco years. Nope my ancestors didn't have slaves; they provided jobs for the people seeking freedom who came up from the deep South and treated them beautifully. I'm very proud of that within my Southern heritage. I appreciate that I was taught to value the differences of all cultures, the beauty and truth in each, rather than brought up to believe my own culture was the only "correct" one.</div><div><br /></div><div>My sis and I were suckin' on my parents' cigarette butts and slurping their coffee leavings on Saturday mornings before we could even talk, when we were knee high to the side tables. My mother smoked through all three of her pregnancies and we turned out just fine, though probably already addicted.... I own my dumb stuff too, and when I said to my sis, "I'll be with you soon," she thought I was talking about visiting her during her last hospital visit, but that's not what I meant. She knows that now.... She said she'd never quit smoking and she didn't, and I hope it brought her pleasure during the trying times, because pleasure is one of the bennies of being here (ain't it great?! and if it's not, maybe we could rethink that?) and though pleasure usually has a price, sometimes it's a slow one, and sometimes it brings sooooo much good along the way, like most things. No judgies coming from me. Not ever. Unless someone's physically hurting others, in which case, I will intercede if at all possible, but otherwise, I say let's live and let live and love as big as we can along the way. And the thing is, so many people I know have died from the big C who never smoked a day in their lives, children, adolescents, adults, and elders. LOTS. So, I figure it's kind of a juggling act with none of us getting out of here except through that magical portal we call death. I think our spiritual agenda and will to live have a lot to do with our comings and goings on this planet, maybe even more than our dumb choices, which we can learn from as we grow....<div><br /></div><div>My beautiful sister came to say goodbye, and like many who have terminal diseases whom we try our best to love all the way through, we did not talk about any possibility of death. So when she came, she knew, and I knew even though we never said any of the words out loud. She rang the doorbell sort of spontaneously, not calling or planning, she was just in the neighborhood (on the way back from another chemo appointment). She came in the front door and we hugged. A silent tight hug in which we did not cry. We held it for the longest time just knowing. Just filling each other up with each other.</div><div><br /></div><div>She was tiny, so tiny I wanted to feed her massive amounts of macaroni, because cancer starves you and her 5' 4" frame was now down to a skeletal 89 lbs, so I took her hand and we walked slowly out to the back porch, which she had always loved. So many family barbecues out there on that patio that she was a major part of! Every year her birthday celebration around July 4th cause her birthday was on the 5th. So much fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>She sat, sunglasses firmly in place, in the chair I usually sit in and I sat next to her.</div><div> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV_qUw8vLEvFXTA0e9DQPLyI6tM02Bsokcgr6ikBAkIxcU7rCFZPlrHuSGcwmAI3zkncUaxumYMuA1jsmzJ9HeQwQ0RkE03_WtxHgqj1GUpyOeytCVODEGbOGgPHp67ABIpea1-w11caVVBm91pXfNtjxvTXQCm42mM5_xl0Zh15vLWKmrScN8OCnWGlJ/s3846/IMG_3106.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3846" data-original-width="2884" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV_qUw8vLEvFXTA0e9DQPLyI6tM02Bsokcgr6ikBAkIxcU7rCFZPlrHuSGcwmAI3zkncUaxumYMuA1jsmzJ9HeQwQ0RkE03_WtxHgqj1GUpyOeytCVODEGbOGgPHp67ABIpea1-w11caVVBm91pXfNtjxvTXQCm42mM5_xl0Zh15vLWKmrScN8OCnWGlJ/s320/IMG_3106.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep the porch chair.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>She spread her arms along its sides and sat, tiny in it, hands softly caressing the texture of the bamboo, a soft Mona Lisa smile on her face. And she looked out over the yard, as she'd done so many times before, drinking it in, every bit of green, every bit of dappled sunshine, every bit of history wafting into her and filling her up. I knew she was saying goodbye. I chattered about all kinds of things. I did not sob. I did not ask any questions. I did not grab her and hold onto her. Though I wanted to.</div><div><br /></div><div>When she left to go home (this was the second to last time I saw her besides one hospital visit) she touched the kitchen chairs she'd sat in, she touched the doorways and the living room furniture she'd sat in so many times on holidays, her fingertips silently saying, I'm leaving my love and saying goodbye.</div><div><br /></div><div>She went out the front door with another hug and promises of more visits. But the last visit was when I went to the hospital when the pneumonia got her yet again, and she rolled her little tiny self over the side of the bed to get out and announced, "This is harder than I thought it would be." "I know," I said, and turned to fluff the flowers we'd brought so she wouldn't see me cry.</div><div><br /></div><div>But here's the thing: Wow, I'm so very grateful for ALL the LOVE she showered upon me throughout her life, and all the love she let me give her - it was a magnificent celebration between us for so many years and I'm pretty sure she wants me to live in those moments and let those sweet memories warm my heart.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I make muffins for my Lovies. I remember the times we had together in those chairs and all the great conversations. And my heart stays warm and loving.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0q3xnaLbeQyztlJHgH4s3iZ0xtVbQdntI5rNmyFbI2_yLyOzEuOZw3b-RuXGcFi_uCan_IO_X29pOkRGrsSmPGLZDBN2kqRwbdDnd2RQ8-PYxRTQM1CO639U4xYe-SxyUBlySaYkV_ILCtvjyCFzL_f5tuT3HUuiFxAO1G4GdGZmkJNHdFfKca7f4_OL/s4032/IMG_0420.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0q3xnaLbeQyztlJHgH4s3iZ0xtVbQdntI5rNmyFbI2_yLyOzEuOZw3b-RuXGcFi_uCan_IO_X29pOkRGrsSmPGLZDBN2kqRwbdDnd2RQ8-PYxRTQM1CO639U4xYe-SxyUBlySaYkV_ILCtvjyCFzL_f5tuT3HUuiFxAO1G4GdGZmkJNHdFfKca7f4_OL/s320/IMG_0420.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conversation station XO</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7zKjahBhaJfu_VE8CnNTaLVI8yN5585SqpD1dnGE67H2tgjwx_zli68Ef29G2fuX5aF7guBSEnKWTfKwSIrK3q6sm_zqcEfwkrx9KLBI3WfjfinVYZ71TDiRd8GZJYvNCWRn-Pqds9ESzO0ODCDsmWNKJVsUo9XohPCQRKDyiuCJlny1QJm5we6ptXx1/s3088/64928306732__D7420469-7C2E-4F2D-AD3C-0423F7E45504.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7zKjahBhaJfu_VE8CnNTaLVI8yN5585SqpD1dnGE67H2tgjwx_zli68Ef29G2fuX5aF7guBSEnKWTfKwSIrK3q6sm_zqcEfwkrx9KLBI3WfjfinVYZ71TDiRd8GZJYvNCWRn-Pqds9ESzO0ODCDsmWNKJVsUo9XohPCQRKDyiuCJlny1QJm5we6ptXx1/s320/64928306732__D7420469-7C2E-4F2D-AD3C-0423F7E45504.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dang, I'm still here.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>I'm still here, so I must make it mean something. Isn't it funny how your body fights you when one of your beloveds goes down? Hair thins. Boils erupt. I won't even talk about the digestive system which refuses to digest anything but applesauce and toast. ACK!!<div><br /></div><div>So I look back to see if I can survive this. And I find that I have managed to create beauty and to go on in hard times. Sometimes looking back can help us to be strong again.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC71Usv16cnx-NPj32OsP-O8hQCIRhqcdiaeJ3KTkHwKEuXJToytR28I7x3wFfaa8E_dPcaPCb0c0jluJuT9Lwx-DPLNt1g821zOTlulSrub52FiJuOOjwMhP2RR3ShRo7eULWLDXgZhfom4EGI6c8YHJkTP1FHj-kkB-jnCfETZKmyVAxZiJFO1WbpA1p/s3579/IMG_3017.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3579" data-original-width="2684" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC71Usv16cnx-NPj32OsP-O8hQCIRhqcdiaeJ3KTkHwKEuXJToytR28I7x3wFfaa8E_dPcaPCb0c0jluJuT9Lwx-DPLNt1g821zOTlulSrub52FiJuOOjwMhP2RR3ShRo7eULWLDXgZhfom4EGI6c8YHJkTP1FHj-kkB-jnCfETZKmyVAxZiJFO1WbpA1p/s320/IMG_3017.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freesias</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Freesias. I brought her some while she was sick. I put some in my house because they're her favorite. I will always honor her that way when they're in season. So fragrant I'm sure she'll smell them from her Heaven indeed.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCX4BmjMKXEPXCLXxGCPFajQilJR6_Wal5ojDXB9bvwDh0nHiGKtVUROiQe61tKmsWSUhZq7ITwEwECnVdrWaUlT6DtpmIm9fEXZslvzAhOPZ-sMmcMGsLvUoDfWxndCZFArP2B9km5MZ0bYlD4rooJYNYZKOfXib0atxs0tWRnYZ6n6CqztugLb_muD4y/s4032/IMG_2682.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCX4BmjMKXEPXCLXxGCPFajQilJR6_Wal5ojDXB9bvwDh0nHiGKtVUROiQe61tKmsWSUhZq7ITwEwECnVdrWaUlT6DtpmIm9fEXZslvzAhOPZ-sMmcMGsLvUoDfWxndCZFArP2B9km5MZ0bYlD4rooJYNYZKOfXib0atxs0tWRnYZ6n6CqztugLb_muD4y/s320/IMG_2682.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We create.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I discover I can create beauty even in the midst of great sorrow. I planted this palm during the early time of her diagnosis and you should see it now! Looking back and remembering that I turned to Earth and growing things to feed my spirit when it was so low I remind myself I can do this and I will be able to scoot back into some kind of balance, even though sometimes I think I can't. </div><div><br /></div><div>And when those times happen, which I've shared with some special friends, here is the prayer/self-talk I say to myself:</div><div><br /></div><div>I am surrounded by love.</div><div>I am loved.</div><div>I am loving.</div><div>I AM love.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes I say it several times to myself. It brings calm. And many times I say it about my Lovies who are in their Heavens. I have no doubt at all that it is the Truth, even when I can't always feel it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I count my blessings, which of course, include those still here on the planet with me, creating beautiful things, like my granddaughter soon to arrive. Whooooooopppppppieeeeee!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqB_R5ElbxKTeCP6FfUz5TeyCWC4C30NUSEmKprtLZOsvhFCa1SmrTqr6H2fgB47p-6tJIIsqMWTMy4cdFJ5MUauVYFlU47hw-z_xIgB2Dal7apdnOT9TrhMJCjoR2P7iiaPoRk0afgBmyiUSnVrRLlQ0CJMiVRLwWNP7gQsCaYr7V1GlZMqkqpsJin4C/s4032/IMG_3641.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqB_R5ElbxKTeCP6FfUz5TeyCWC4C30NUSEmKprtLZOsvhFCa1SmrTqr6H2fgB47p-6tJIIsqMWTMy4cdFJ5MUauVYFlU47hw-z_xIgB2Dal7apdnOT9TrhMJCjoR2P7iiaPoRk0afgBmyiUSnVrRLlQ0CJMiVRLwWNP7gQsCaYr7V1GlZMqkqpsJin4C/s320/IMG_3641.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, they've procreated! WOOT!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>My son and his beautiful wife are bringing into the world my beautiful granddaughter, with whom I am already completely in love. I can't wait to meet her and hold her and have fun with her. And watch them join the parenthood club. She is a verrrrry lucky girl indeed. And I am a happy grandmother in waiting.<div><br /></div><div>Life brings a balance, we come, we go, we come, we go, and we LOVE. And love and love and love. And it's HARD sometimes, and sometimes it's so easy it's ridiculously wonderful. I'm all over that like a glove.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvc-9FYFzrhkgIJh1vRpvaXWNmPPAa5F-F_i9_fwA_4JNmSlPn7ssj_sWmsmEhA21NFXwgwVhqzLbNuzWN_b2jNBmhjg5iMlDrSWWc2idtgDiELpXtbdaZnkQqeZg40b3m4-kZ-zoXZqJ_ZnwCD2mAewHwGB01S4xItvXTa3Bys8byjd0Ssh5zqje8ZoaI/s4032/IMG_4423.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvc-9FYFzrhkgIJh1vRpvaXWNmPPAa5F-F_i9_fwA_4JNmSlPn7ssj_sWmsmEhA21NFXwgwVhqzLbNuzWN_b2jNBmhjg5iMlDrSWWc2idtgDiELpXtbdaZnkQqeZg40b3m4-kZ-zoXZqJ_ZnwCD2mAewHwGB01S4xItvXTa3Bys8byjd0Ssh5zqje8ZoaI/s320/IMG_4423.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fertility and abundance, yeah!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I am grateful for the cycles and the beeeeeautiful balance of life. I am looking back and grateful for the love of my sister and looking forward and grateful for the joys coming with the little one, and wise enough to firmly entrench myself in each and every moment, in all its glory. </div><div><br /></div><div>Aren't the moments just glorious? Aren't we lucky to experience them all?!</div><div><br /></div><div>The Byrds with Turn Turn Turn <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>Jen<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-23313120109111774432023-09-08T14:10:00.005-07:002023-09-29T00:23:04.482-07:00And Then There Were Three - Tribute to My Beloved Sister<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeAgmmzt10fpnknAuMCV4OLOHQ8iVqJNSAG3iwNyTj4s25XmpnqNPO6MM6ftcQWcrq6kunsTztVKCmtVg9p0e9tik-X0cKJIHEmOAjs7I30vmthc1hB-zEhLZ5u3vM_qDqoJ2AjEWdpBGg7EDNYs57VZHr2a62At-7QaD8bAh_T5yrlzNRttMGwEIvY1z/s2048/11244727_10152831422477544_2858913026913802250_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1856" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeAgmmzt10fpnknAuMCV4OLOHQ8iVqJNSAG3iwNyTj4s25XmpnqNPO6MM6ftcQWcrq6kunsTztVKCmtVg9p0e9tik-X0cKJIHEmOAjs7I30vmthc1hB-zEhLZ5u3vM_qDqoJ2AjEWdpBGg7EDNYs57VZHr2a62At-7QaD8bAh_T5yrlzNRttMGwEIvY1z/s320/11244727_10152831422477544_2858913026913802250_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(clockwise from bottom left) <br />Mom, brother David, Me, sister Melinda</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I am a lucky girl to have a sister as special as mine was, not just to me but to everyone who came into her circle of influence. We were very close when we were young, being a little less than two years apart in age. And we did so very many things together, though we were as different as night and day in many ways. The solid underlying values systems were the same: our respect and love for the planet, the cosmos, and the orbits of humanity and family within which we moved.</p><p>One of the earliest memories I have is of the two of us sitting in the back seat of the car while my father drove through the jungles of Malaysia, where we lived for a couple of years while he was working there in the capacity of project management/civil engineering. My sister was a sensitive soul though she rarely let it show, and whenever she was feeling nervous in the backseat of that car she would ask me to hold her hand and we would sing together. A few years later we were still singing together, but not without first hooking up our swings four inches from the tippy top of the swingset in our backyard. We'd climb up and swing back and forth, back and forth, and sing at the top of our lungs. My mom said the neighbors thought it was delightful, though perhaps they were just being kind.</p><p>That backyard was simply divine, with three huge sycamore trees, two apple trees, a beautiful birch, and loads of ladybugs and butterflies, birds, and bees, and spiders and furry critters. It also sported a large sandbox my father made for us, in which we built and buried all manner of castles and kingdoms.</p><p>It was the late 70s and my mother was aces at handling the budget, part of which included mandating which items were "for your father," and which items we were allowed to eat. Lunch every day for us was peanut butter and jelly (Welch's grape is still my top favorite today!) and potato chips were "for your father," so we weren't allowed to have them, but that doesn't mean we didn't. We were a little bit naughty and had great imaginations, so between us we developed what we called "The Secret Club," in which we did things we weren't allowed to do. At lunchtime we'd wait for mom to leave the kitchen and go talk on the phone or over the back fence with one of her friends and we'd sneak into the pantry with our sandwiches and carefully open my father's big old potato chip bag, taking out four or five chips each. We looked for the flattest, roundest ones so we could open our sandwiches and lay the chips inside, then slap down the top and sneak back to the table. This way the chips didn't crunch too loud when we ate them and mom wouldn't see them if she came back into the kitchen. Ah, the good old days. Sneakin' with your Sis!</p><p>One thing we loved to do in our Secret Club was pretend we had long hair. My mother was one who preferred to keep our hair short, and I was18 the first time I was able to refuse the required haircut. My Sis and I would prance around our bedroom before bedtime with the radio on and our bathrobe belts tied around our heads with the long ends dangling down. We'd flip them over our shoulders and bat our eyelashes, practicing how to be coy. We were cool beans indeed!</p><p>And another thing we loved to do at that time was play dressups. We did that for hours and hours, happy as clams, prancing around the backyard in gorgeous gowns gifted to us by my mother and sometimes her friends. My favorite was a red chiffon party dress and my sister's favorite was a lavender strapless evening gown. We aerated the lawn with high heels too big for our little feet and corralled some of the neighborhood kids to play too. Eventually we wrote little plays and staged them from behind flowered sheets curtaining the swing set. On occasion we performed for some of the adult neighbors, charging a nickle a piece, whenever my parents had informal company for dinner. I never noticed any eye-rolling going on; again, they were nothing but kind, laughing and clapping at our antics. </p><p>We shared a room for all the years we were growing up save for the latter years of high school when I moved up to the attic to have private space in which to dream and paint and write. During the earlier years my sister became interested in music and since she was the oldest, she always got to choose the radio station in our room. We were lucky, living so close to New York, as we were able to get the very best in radio at the time, and I was entranced, listening to Allison Steele (that incomparable magical DJ) every night as we floated off to sleep. And sometimes when my mother went out without us, which was rare, we'd sneak into the dining room to play albums on the good stereo, which had the most wonderful speakers. Those are the times my sister introduced me to so many truly wonderful music artists, like Melissa Manchester, Janis Ian, Dan Fogelberg, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, and a host of musicians and bands that I adore and always will. Sometimes we danced and sometimes at night we lit the oil lamp and wrote in our journals. I'm so grateful to my Sis for introducing me to these great musicians who've accompanied me through all the seasons of my life, all the happy times, the sad ones, the celebration times, and the healing times. Melinda continued to be a wonderful musical influence, gifting me with hours and hours of joy that I love to share with others and that feed my spirit (and my plants both indoors and out) when I'm alone. Thanks Mellie XO</p><p>Melinda was "my person" all throughout my life, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way, as she was a very nurturing soul. The kind who shoveled off her elderly neighbors' cars in winter when she lived in a condo alone. The kind who hosted gorgeous dinner parties where she cooked EVERYTHING from scratch and the recipes were not simple ones. The kind who started her dinner parties with appetizers and went through all the courses right through to cheeses, fruits, and fancy desserts, special coffees and liqueurs, all served on gorgeous dishes, drinks in fancy crystal and coffee in demitasse cups. We felt entirely spoiled every time we got to attend one of her parties. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjfBgOzaugja3TYZOpiTVm2C7Uel6GnDmhKjSf2nv44lmXFtYjLuJZ_2UOEdhCi4ogH4xDgFg5O2A2nRqB9fLABCWHzY3QS3HsPskph7OxBDUmyzwiM__js6-j3fK64G0RiC-aSaDV56TeqH5hcj4ZVBNOY3-AEne5nK2hBUiK-uyv-k_uI0e7bL226Wr/s2048/11696436_852610055649_495073183547482804_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1741" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjfBgOzaugja3TYZOpiTVm2C7Uel6GnDmhKjSf2nv44lmXFtYjLuJZ_2UOEdhCi4ogH4xDgFg5O2A2nRqB9fLABCWHzY3QS3HsPskph7OxBDUmyzwiM__js6-j3fK64G0RiC-aSaDV56TeqH5hcj4ZVBNOY3-AEne5nK2hBUiK-uyv-k_uI0e7bL226Wr/s320/11696436_852610055649_495073183547482804_o.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a very good year.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As we got older, into our late 50s she was still hosting holiday gatherings for the family, even though we started feeling our age and it wasn't so easy anymore. We all teased her unmercifully at one of the later Thanksgiving spreads because she was very organized and had labeled ALL the serving dishes with little post it notes while everything was cooking so she'd know which food went into which dish, and what was so unforgettably funny was that she had labeled the unmistakable gravy boat "gravy." Oh my, we had a hoot laughing over that one. Very thorough indeed, she was. Never missed a trick.</p><p>Mellie and her husband were the "winter holiday home" and Rob and I were the "summer barbecue home" because we had the big patio and pool outside for entertaining. So many sweet memories of family celebrations to hold dear. So much love!</p><p>She was a well-traveled, worldly diva of a woman with great taste in clothing, jewelry, shoes, and a love of girlie self-care things like manicures, pedicures, massages, and perfectly dressed hair. She held a Ph.D and her students called her Dr. Wilkins. Some knew her as "the queen," though Glynda, the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz was one of her favorite role models. Her students were NEVER bored. She was a feminist who, nonetheless, loved and respected men in the best ways she knew how. The legacy she created through her students over so many impressive years as an instructor of several subjects at Penn State lives on. She was awesome.</p><p>And now she is free. I am so proud of her courage, dignity, fierce determination, and grace as she navigated the challenges of the big C for almost three years. She finally earned her angel wings on September 6th after yet another stint in the hospital with pneumonia. While in ICU she was too sick for visitors except her beloved husband who rarely left her side. And too sick for phone calls too. So I texted her "holding your hand and singing until you feel better." I knew she'd understand that. </p><p>On Wednesday she was discharged from the hospital and when she arrived home, oxygen in tow, she headed for her happy place, her home study. That night she slept next to her beloved husband at last. And by Thursday's dawn she was part of the heavens. God's blessing she went in her sleep.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqo6RC_S07K__o3qFqN4TuQ1aGr7DKM9TegFvt956MArL6aA6OeWcQgSmz0gv29-9b3AlXzlGKPkSM6MR6AjqkhwWeDW5ncIfQ1fDsMGVdVECNdxBWfyRwDPZnMGOEE9rEmUn2p0zR4HjOhWV0aVpDu_P5rW4s3SNwjf7pwfQ6EQbgH-vGdLlvxt1LtHm/s3724/17C5FD67-BEE9-4D3E-B4C3-B782EEC70820.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3724" data-original-width="2096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqo6RC_S07K__o3qFqN4TuQ1aGr7DKM9TegFvt956MArL6aA6OeWcQgSmz0gv29-9b3AlXzlGKPkSM6MR6AjqkhwWeDW5ncIfQ1fDsMGVdVECNdxBWfyRwDPZnMGOEE9rEmUn2p0zR4HjOhWV0aVpDu_P5rW4s3SNwjf7pwfQ6EQbgH-vGdLlvxt1LtHm/s320/17C5FD67-BEE9-4D3E-B4C3-B782EEC70820.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's my person!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Celebrating your love and your life Melinda. Thank you for all the everythings you brought, and continue to bring to our relationship. The love never, ever dies. And I feel your spirit soaring. Sweet journeys near and far my Love.</p><p>I'll see you on the Other Side XO!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-43212978881254138092023-07-08T12:34:00.006-07:002023-07-08T13:44:11.935-07:00Cosmic Tree Cabochon Necklace is a Beauty Indeed!<p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gorgeous new cabochon necklace is available at </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="xt0psk2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;"><a href="https://www.artalacartepa.com/" target="_blank">Art a la Carte PA</a></span></span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.artalacartepa.com/" target="_blank">!</a> </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYZAZ8mpFVUXjyDfA6eGrdGliDv5jB6ywQsRX87AekkjSwPOCqOqZgk9_LLk_Kr68VAXgLCVLMBPicsF2szJSwZLPtpTm29KFlNJXltGqCCnZK3EAs2jIFtiCnEwjF4Te-Lu5fBEfdt3rIkY5R1XtACXuLvp83MmrKOJ2Qby_LY8u6GEaNQbAYn4EHPr6I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYZAZ8mpFVUXjyDfA6eGrdGliDv5jB6ywQsRX87AekkjSwPOCqOqZgk9_LLk_Kr68VAXgLCVLMBPicsF2szJSwZLPtpTm29KFlNJXltGqCCnZK3EAs2jIFtiCnEwjF4Te-Lu5fBEfdt3rIkY5R1XtACXuLvp83MmrKOJ2Qby_LY8u6GEaNQbAYn4EHPr6I" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For all of us who love TREES, the subtle "image" that I see in this round agate gemstone cab is of a single beeeautiful tree. With the colors, I gazed upon it and they sang out to me. It is paired with what's known as "phantom quartz" or "rainbow quartz" gemstone necklace straps and one of my favorite magnet clasps. Easy on/off but stays put while you're wearing it. Get a load of that needle! It's bent because the size 12 and size 10 beading needles need to be very thin to go through the tiny beads, so by the end of the project they're often bent. I sometimes prefer to use a bent needle so that it'll curve right up as I build up the border rows. </span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh95VtY-LQkkTu_7JxYHhW_bxaKHWsulxMizudMQhBWnMXOcfXlYL0dDZy3Ll_GGoio2PrQmwpA5zVhaWwK_tW-VxoobvbLy8dNF_FxxZtkPoSVJSlMLtJiuZqqxo0ZJsGjESNwEq07yMsJCAjwOD8CrvAy-vU36oxv65cSQ9z0hSK7V4F9gtDVtzvfcRUU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh95VtY-LQkkTu_7JxYHhW_bxaKHWsulxMizudMQhBWnMXOcfXlYL0dDZy3Ll_GGoio2PrQmwpA5zVhaWwK_tW-VxoobvbLy8dNF_FxxZtkPoSVJSlMLtJiuZqqxo0ZJsGjESNwEq07yMsJCAjwOD8CrvAy-vU36oxv65cSQ9z0hSK7V4F9gtDVtzvfcRUU" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">This is the start of the cabochon necklace. These are the colors that sing out from the cab itself. Yummy!</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyg6UR6V_77y81uD1_Ps1Cv9qkhwoAdhlxvVRg3rvBYUFsZl6NPOzC-Zbdk14D4t2S42dk2c360urh4bHOSMSUTsI7AI8rjOAvVy5QlL1GOYFQ4Psjec6oqEljZBWLip5b1LzhqrHw87rKMcM119R0zUeBO94Kcdn_GoZaK5vi5_t4k3cEryf_7r3kavCV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyg6UR6V_77y81uD1_Ps1Cv9qkhwoAdhlxvVRg3rvBYUFsZl6NPOzC-Zbdk14D4t2S42dk2c360urh4bHOSMSUTsI7AI8rjOAvVy5QlL1GOYFQ4Psjec6oqEljZBWLip5b1LzhqrHw87rKMcM119R0zUeBO94Kcdn_GoZaK5vi5_t4k3cEryf_7r3kavCV" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">The cab gets glued to a fine piece of ultrasuede, which is the perfect host for the hundreds of beads that will comprise the border. My favorite stitch for this is the traditional Native American peyote stitch. To begin, I put four beads on at a time and backstitch down, up, and through, so they sit smoothly. This is what creates excellent quality. I've found over the years that if I do these too close together the rest won't work; it's the thread/cording that lets the beads breathe so they can sit nicely as I build the layers.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw6s00zyXJ-MaLGpqAMGMdwkrTBe-gfzuIOEk3wLfyvsxLG_gq7O7L7mQQEE5QSU-_Kff0XepiF5c4Vr6kNeaOexJ4_7Rw-AAT9wRrISw3z97THW3LDpvrdPcT0EMWT_LoRQ0rThHZqWr2ugFDKKFXXcOX1dyQfYn-E-ulO_KgzBGvR83wyylDy3WQhixF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw6s00zyXJ-MaLGpqAMGMdwkrTBe-gfzuIOEk3wLfyvsxLG_gq7O7L7mQQEE5QSU-_Kff0XepiF5c4Vr6kNeaOexJ4_7Rw-AAT9wRrISw3z97THW3LDpvrdPcT0EMWT_LoRQ0rThHZqWr2ugFDKKFXXcOX1dyQfYn-E-ulO_KgzBGvR83wyylDy3WQhixF" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">It can take years of experience to be able to gauge how much thread will fit through the tiny 11/0 seed beads, some of which must be able to take at least four, and sometimes five to six passes. I even have to switch needle sizes to get the final stitches done, which are woven back and forth through the border. No knots except for the start and finish. So it takes a couple of yards of thread (no tangling please!) to get through the whole border. If anyone wants to know, yes, I do talk to my thread, and it's usually very responsive. If it wants to tangle upon itself I say, "Oh this is just boring. Do you WANT to be a beeeautiful necklace?" And magically it will allow me to easily undo what could be a potential nightmare.... Only dreams please. Thanks! Magical tips: the cording hates competitive games or violence, so I'm picky about my TV and music while I'm working. YEP! It WORKS like a CHARM! Pretty good for me too!</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> </span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcz-aL9ZqOwxNuEINN-IqpqRoINIiIFZWwHeFxRFhsTtEBcmCxQC5hcQIznSuA08RKsc5VarvflFtcyaDzcX6IfAb4q1ndRtzDtqnBYYykLyx3-cVDFqGq-dUJtjn28gAeWkPGiCQRmq-_NCGn4t_XnWyt276QhkLe23qWbPAFlYohUPW94lo_JlzfB8xL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcz-aL9ZqOwxNuEINN-IqpqRoINIiIFZWwHeFxRFhsTtEBcmCxQC5hcQIznSuA08RKsc5VarvflFtcyaDzcX6IfAb4q1ndRtzDtqnBYYykLyx3-cVDFqGq-dUJtjn28gAeWkPGiCQRmq-_NCGn4t_XnWyt276QhkLe23qWbPAFlYohUPW94lo_JlzfB8xL" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Yep, these are my TOOLS! And I LOVE THEM! The beeswax that you see has been used literally hundreds if not thousands of times as I condition the thread as I sew. This strengthens it and helps it not to tangle. The black is not dirt, it's what comes off the cording if I'm using the dark one. Yep, one of my tools is a verrry old-fashioned diaper pin that I used for my son's diapers before we switched to disposable ones (that was more than 30 years ago, how time flies!). Sometimes I have to use this to clean out the holes in some beads, especially wood ones, before I use them. And everyone knows that scissors are sacred, yes?</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5a9J3oK18Lyq24nU3NeLa1-QhQrHKGy5eYZF4O6pmYBVDpr23fei5ybXLbB0aA_7_YyFnTGOXFcnhGq1TLi3zc-IOP-Zf6ht7x4DM5SFJ4VX6eJMgAEE7gPUT5mZfNsXYTGaqkoQYwLEaSHlZ37vvJj3e4TLe8WUcmLlYIYIUMJ0EImrB4p3W6Whc6nhm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5a9J3oK18Lyq24nU3NeLa1-QhQrHKGy5eYZF4O6pmYBVDpr23fei5ybXLbB0aA_7_YyFnTGOXFcnhGq1TLi3zc-IOP-Zf6ht7x4DM5SFJ4VX6eJMgAEE7gPUT5mZfNsXYTGaqkoQYwLEaSHlZ37vvJj3e4TLe8WUcmLlYIYIUMJ0EImrB4p3W6Whc6nhm" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">The spoon on top I use all the time for putting the tiny beads into their saucers for working. Apologies for not polishing it before the impromptu photos. It's sterling, Native American. I picked them both up in California. The one on the bottom somehow found its way into the garbage disposal for a few seconds (I wasn't manning the sink at the time, oh nooooo!) and I know just where to take it for repair. That's on my list of things to do....</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> </span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhT6OSwsgJzJPWnhDcatrUzhs3jdFcOQlCh-feQhf-zPDVsjjQslg4FyreSGMK5xwC0KWcTstVPV3jQ2SX4Ol3wNj80iVOtKQN_ISSJ3ZSHjYwjlGqCJPTbyyIU7bC5pFszuDFKod3WduDRqddu96thCC5HVJrlqrk5UqE_qNnCyW4trLJ26VqA0JHvQIZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhT6OSwsgJzJPWnhDcatrUzhs3jdFcOQlCh-feQhf-zPDVsjjQslg4FyreSGMK5xwC0KWcTstVPV3jQ2SX4Ol3wNj80iVOtKQN_ISSJ3ZSHjYwjlGqCJPTbyyIU7bC5pFszuDFKod3WduDRqddu96thCC5HVJrlqrk5UqE_qNnCyW4trLJ26VqA0JHvQIZ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">The "tinies," or "littles" are the 15/0 inside row or two of beads that help the border to tighten around the cabochon. Also a skill that takes years to master properly. I choose a few different colors but wait for the cab to let me know which one(s) to use as I finish.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4v0lsGWphjFPr1jmzoHUEARaHo1mvHN1KkoP9_A_iUv9ixAKa42X0MBGOl18FUjSFYIBb6DRNyi-QGZIGMzgI7u60hdTPb8BUZ-7W3Xly4C8LxJdeQ-oSSLBxhbhv_-eFyKAXFUnmn0VqtxMISNroY3VeElfFxeUr5_VHyXb3pJZ_jU3Ag8g6e2QBbYBd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4v0lsGWphjFPr1jmzoHUEARaHo1mvHN1KkoP9_A_iUv9ixAKa42X0MBGOl18FUjSFYIBb6DRNyi-QGZIGMzgI7u60hdTPb8BUZ-7W3Xly4C8LxJdeQ-oSSLBxhbhv_-eFyKAXFUnmn0VqtxMISNroY3VeElfFxeUr5_VHyXb3pJZ_jU3Ag8g6e2QBbYBd" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">THERE she is! Do you see the image of a gorgeous tree? I'm in love with it.</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> </span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcapRdepQNl8NyVn-JNWVGX7vui5MSAjDcf5gUkJCncKM_w5MlIzBX8zmN34KK3ivHf84-szBm2lpIdx75Wr38HmZCfjP6bWO8zV1JAbGh0CYIQTNMmwLGoPouDgIw0jF91odnlF95rfxA417vVzlktzYXNah7cZt5_7mxS_n8WJlC2-NhMFWJjanwb93l" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcapRdepQNl8NyVn-JNWVGX7vui5MSAjDcf5gUkJCncKM_w5MlIzBX8zmN34KK3ivHf84-szBm2lpIdx75Wr38HmZCfjP6bWO8zV1JAbGh0CYIQTNMmwLGoPouDgIw0jF91odnlF95rfxA417vVzlktzYXNah7cZt5_7mxS_n8WJlC2-NhMFWJjanwb93l" width="291" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">There's much that I do not have control over when I do this artistry. One of those things is the order in which I build up the border. I've learned over the years that before I begin, I must put each color of seed bead onto my needle and discern which ones are the widest and which are the narrowest, because for my process, it's essential to go from large to small (bottom row to top row) when building the border, otherwise it won't sit tightly when done.</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWMEoga9NXfNIqyTPdE3k9aQifWpLp6aLriUef0EgRKxxJh70ixHf61Glx34vTnFhk7DCmESm6wunWiqFFmc0LNVHGLzdkMOEKLXNP3oIxZxMrSbdXGufBOj1HdiiAvqDmq74u_Ocrq1f_mkoNsEs3JGD4QOoPw0OvmUgIfdGkFERtIQYulnGYItXo-60Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWMEoga9NXfNIqyTPdE3k9aQifWpLp6aLriUef0EgRKxxJh70ixHf61Glx34vTnFhk7DCmESm6wunWiqFFmc0LNVHGLzdkMOEKLXNP3oIxZxMrSbdXGufBOj1HdiiAvqDmq74u_Ocrq1f_mkoNsEs3JGD4QOoPw0OvmUgIfdGkFERtIQYulnGYItXo-60Y" width="180" /></a></div></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Oh gosh, the border is done and I can tell it reeally wanted to be made, because though I don't "count," when I chose the final row to have a bit of extra decoration in the four larger green beads (at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock), the math worked out PERFECTLY. I LOVE when that happens. I suppose I could do the math beforehand, but I don't like to get bogged down when I'm in the creative process, unless I'm doing a beading chart for loomed bracelets or something like that. All the green around the cab will be trimmed off during the last few steps of the process.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxW2V1nDcLf_yeS8w97iTW9PXJOSg_6_1z3KL-rsdWHJJuY-7GUmYAdHEDC_XD9Flfn1a_GCvd6dWvoywqry1ynRU8zWeclk8mA75bEs-03vdgJ1baJP84tErYzmb3P2vYGkqyOtJ46sSQ2wGsGflAmzjAMjc3HOFlduIqlzKjEswLzOlEFTbXlQ9UwOb0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxW2V1nDcLf_yeS8w97iTW9PXJOSg_6_1z3KL-rsdWHJJuY-7GUmYAdHEDC_XD9Flfn1a_GCvd6dWvoywqry1ynRU8zWeclk8mA75bEs-03vdgJ1baJP84tErYzmb3P2vYGkqyOtJ46sSQ2wGsGflAmzjAMjc3HOFlduIqlzKjEswLzOlEFTbXlQ9UwOb0" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Isn't she just lovely?! I don't know if she wants fringe yet, so far she hasn't asked for it, but she'll tell me after her necklace straps are on, which is the next step. Or, if someone is interested in her I'll do the fringe if they let me know they want it : ) It has to happen before the final backing so the start and finish knots don't show....</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDaC6KMhcePrRqwtT2fyfBCobBC75_-wwkw6O247magBJc5N5HGEsgSoJgJxzl7sa7f-YtT8slsBmf4z2VqwYEltMXJE8uKtyJH8PfcSP95nP18DPQZkuTa_Pdo1mwM0PHPjaLMHITtrlEOvTvRYcQScVrNmp8VX8x4dgE3CUO2nyQ4qaEIBot70YOJUMw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDaC6KMhcePrRqwtT2fyfBCobBC75_-wwkw6O247magBJc5N5HGEsgSoJgJxzl7sa7f-YtT8slsBmf4z2VqwYEltMXJE8uKtyJH8PfcSP95nP18DPQZkuTa_Pdo1mwM0PHPjaLMHITtrlEOvTvRYcQScVrNmp8VX8x4dgE3CUO2nyQ4qaEIBot70YOJUMw" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Here she is with the phantom/rainbow quartz beads that will comprise the necklace straps. She is emanating beautiful, soft, grounding and balancing energies.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3hDGc3gEP2SxkMieBcVJxa5cgH5S-liIuQklkgPLGwpFZkZAvAdEbLNWgkLyes1zQxNwvZBkvVrVSUAUdqAUjmQB-V_IyGM3dao0JQVdJjxLTRargSmNOy43WD-4m7RP7K9ZF2ImNlOsjQu83NMbXyeHEF3o3Ly-mZt1AQv8QAi40GYu0VZ_eO7iSQkBT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3hDGc3gEP2SxkMieBcVJxa5cgH5S-liIuQklkgPLGwpFZkZAvAdEbLNWgkLyes1zQxNwvZBkvVrVSUAUdqAUjmQB-V_IyGM3dao0JQVdJjxLTRargSmNOy43WD-4m7RP7K9ZF2ImNlOsjQu83NMbXyeHEF3o3Ly-mZt1AQv8QAi40GYu0VZ_eO7iSQkBT" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">So we're doing the second phase of this cabochon necklace. We've glued the backing on, and in this photo you can see the two layers of dark green ultrasuede.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS18K753LKde2HThWPB4NZ7vbU4o7JprpAZXVV8tYvDZrBTk4WrJr7JlaHF0hJZNJNRTptnrcdpmX0F7cIb2CTusbDED8JI35zFnu1wUBUDWW28bc4p1pMPEtGsSRJ4TIzTQccWW-1_AjJDwWP92A0HQ8GQ16uQTSOa5OhYyYzPzfxEkVw6EKgjAZ6zur7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS18K753LKde2HThWPB4NZ7vbU4o7JprpAZXVV8tYvDZrBTk4WrJr7JlaHF0hJZNJNRTptnrcdpmX0F7cIb2CTusbDED8JI35zFnu1wUBUDWW28bc4p1pMPEtGsSRJ4TIzTQccWW-1_AjJDwWP92A0HQ8GQ16uQTSOa5OhYyYzPzfxEkVw6EKgjAZ6zur7" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I've trimmed the backing to about 1/16 inch around the outside. (Don't mind the reflected light....)</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYoJXoifn-jQ-wcPCOpacwOBkqm66ZRloAicEbpEjQ9_eLO2CWaVRZx6uk50oKzXSy3rdaI6H90GXxdo2cqIBV62UF1A5ja4MWYyqWJ8BD3gTB26x7tjcRqgaklKeBzLjk-Vslh8IjSk4BJRKRRuyDBCuTrCyLHeCCxVJrDSgrv0jKwTkvgv6ZKa0ek9b7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYoJXoifn-jQ-wcPCOpacwOBkqm66ZRloAicEbpEjQ9_eLO2CWaVRZx6uk50oKzXSy3rdaI6H90GXxdo2cqIBV62UF1A5ja4MWYyqWJ8BD3gTB26x7tjcRqgaklKeBzLjk-Vslh8IjSk4BJRKRRuyDBCuTrCyLHeCCxVJrDSgrv0jKwTkvgv6ZKa0ek9b7" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I push my needle between the two layers of dark green ultrasuede and out the back so the knot at the end of my cording sits inside and won't show. Excellent quality for my work means no knots showing, ever! I love when people say, "How'd she do that?!"</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg0-I1b9ea8RmCXYM5Hai5X_ow8WC3Qu4ez9tGrWxV6K-T-LWWZ-CYYif9WYuB14zPq85IweidiLl3luw-kSexJrmvUI9KLtDCrakCVWzyfr9vxOzB3jfphq_S6ebThSmt7q_2WRONgMGkLlwr0JziyxnwMjlrfuDX0K3pmxxWOVpRvzOD5k56wp_GR09x" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg0-I1b9ea8RmCXYM5Hai5X_ow8WC3Qu4ez9tGrWxV6K-T-LWWZ-CYYif9WYuB14zPq85IweidiLl3luw-kSexJrmvUI9KLtDCrakCVWzyfr9vxOzB3jfphq_S6ebThSmt7q_2WRONgMGkLlwr0JziyxnwMjlrfuDX0K3pmxxWOVpRvzOD5k56wp_GR09x" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I pick up one bead and come up through the back to the front, making sure I get both layers but don't invade the rows already on there. Repeat, repeat, repeat, all the way around.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgB5Vi-B85_400FUfgE5q1arF-HoM_upTxqYV9yjn-Bds1anFIwOX0QUNSMzzNHw4DBqXkyPSoFK8wOPr4cN7W4psEd-Gb8ZGxYGLqNLO5-dwmlEzEvaQpcEHq3Ivk6bflmIPyjyp_nZwNb8o8fxp_vWirFaJ7IM-ipwPQ1T-0I4LsHONNMxQGHDaOv1utV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgB5Vi-B85_400FUfgE5q1arF-HoM_upTxqYV9yjn-Bds1anFIwOX0QUNSMzzNHw4DBqXkyPSoFK8wOPr4cN7W4psEd-Gb8ZGxYGLqNLO5-dwmlEzEvaQpcEHq3Ivk6bflmIPyjyp_nZwNb8o8fxp_vWirFaJ7IM-ipwPQ1T-0I4LsHONNMxQGHDaOv1utV" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">This is what the back looks like and I try to keep my stitches tiny and uniform.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiry8E09p-UzqqXM_FpfFsa7qEuBIUMDmY0yEK_8V4vXq0Ujouy8GBYx7IVgN6mYgHK1mx22--tVg9vOI5Abf0YK6hBWB0TFHwnK7ih7K1u4yALXBlYuMksoIt09efqjf_zqsnalklX5dbqduXfL2jxIWZLNErPXyNfuwXeDDvlshc6AfI_ayEBztfZtXSe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiry8E09p-UzqqXM_FpfFsa7qEuBIUMDmY0yEK_8V4vXq0Ujouy8GBYx7IVgN6mYgHK1mx22--tVg9vOI5Abf0YK6hBWB0TFHwnK7ih7K1u4yALXBlYuMksoIt09efqjf_zqsnalklX5dbqduXfL2jxIWZLNErPXyNfuwXeDDvlshc6AfI_ayEBztfZtXSe" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Once you've made a few of these your hands learn how to hold everything to make things sit nicely. See that bead sitting on my finger? I'm going to make sure to push it towards the front of the piece so the row will sit nicely next to the other rows.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiV7YQMgp2g7L_MJ74pTdlmKG19JpaTaoTHaduXURH4gdMCudQTiBfJzPQmGETuo41uXd5-XHyToxc7-rCl0wr1Nv_tJdXwoDFDCQkZGLQs-PLKFgB14CMJ8kscx11J5ZR7Olqd86tYJ90kepLAaol21CgLmD4C7VikSQPim3AKQiqHmQGOADOl8hDsil5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1751" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiV7YQMgp2g7L_MJ74pTdlmKG19JpaTaoTHaduXURH4gdMCudQTiBfJzPQmGETuo41uXd5-XHyToxc7-rCl0wr1Nv_tJdXwoDFDCQkZGLQs-PLKFgB14CMJ8kscx11J5ZR7Olqd86tYJ90kepLAaol21CgLmD4C7VikSQPim3AKQiqHmQGOADOl8hDsil5" width="205" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">After I've finished putting on that whole row it kind of sits sort of raggle taggedy, so I sew around it again, and like magic they all sit beautifully aligned next to each other. Here, I'm sewing through the second time.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKaJdGdaM0O78LW1RKiqpttjr69473vfaqWvu9M0Q5P4MX3YCv_fRoki0Jn0wlpsfGGBENcLyfDTVmU3DkPcmI0D4omstjwzmuyDSOqDQEr59qpfk59VXS5drqXGDCRBH3tLGokFboU2E2uA9iKeMz6fr2BBU5rUdELIhJCGAhlqwfyo4D_7tgvQ4EbLbo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKaJdGdaM0O78LW1RKiqpttjr69473vfaqWvu9M0Q5P4MX3YCv_fRoki0Jn0wlpsfGGBENcLyfDTVmU3DkPcmI0D4omstjwzmuyDSOqDQEr59qpfk59VXS5drqXGDCRBH3tLGokFboU2E2uA9iKeMz6fr2BBU5rUdELIhJCGAhlqwfyo4D_7tgvQ4EbLbo" width="193" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">This photo shows how the beads are nicely aligned after the second round through along the bottom part, but the top part isn't done yet, and you can see it's a bit raggle taggedy. (Is that a word? It is now!)</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh03jo2e6K3FtJm0M_ZgAvYfdC0DVUn2J-Sb9gDSTwZT0UBPBjWfdlh9QHRQ-pblnmqKDOywTO2RBu1eF3lh-l_OX_yhSEY1lEGFwI8pVARBOQ0iws8UeS1ctJ8LFZHbmX4nkN_Q4XwHyczWhEX8fwMSv-iCD5-ziZpEYMqzyGlIKqmxmUAevXpHOZfoCPs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1602" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh03jo2e6K3FtJm0M_ZgAvYfdC0DVUn2J-Sb9gDSTwZT0UBPBjWfdlh9QHRQ-pblnmqKDOywTO2RBu1eF3lh-l_OX_yhSEY1lEGFwI8pVARBOQ0iws8UeS1ctJ8LFZHbmX4nkN_Q4XwHyczWhEX8fwMSv-iCD5-ziZpEYMqzyGlIKqmxmUAevXpHOZfoCPs" width="188" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">She asked me for a bit of star power, so I sewed a sweet picot border all the way around with the red that's also in the cabochon itself. There are lots of different tutorials on YouTube for how to sew a picot border, and with this one, I went through twice as well, to make sure the red beads sit next to their sisters properly. Sorry for the poor lighting. Don't mind that white light on the cab, it's just my overhead <a href="https://www.ottlite.com/crafting-sewing-lamps" target="_blank">OTT light</a> (which I could not do this work without!)</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF-ADk-u0WZPoduDYH20MB_Wo_llxp29OXpDIHZ1SsEcOR_BpUIR6qfKY-QAG1UDi8PUZ-Kyby8Ej2NOdKgMTbS7i4yvunTFjP2CnQTEIKYmz8Q404zhBIBNfBrWYVyVcAirs3mbYWzxrOIoIfSWswP87BctpFkXbrnJw8OB0RkDCeumSmZ3fKsZJulfFs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF-ADk-u0WZPoduDYH20MB_Wo_llxp29OXpDIHZ1SsEcOR_BpUIR6qfKY-QAG1UDi8PUZ-Kyby8Ej2NOdKgMTbS7i4yvunTFjP2CnQTEIKYmz8Q404zhBIBNfBrWYVyVcAirs3mbYWzxrOIoIfSWswP87BctpFkXbrnJw8OB0RkDCeumSmZ3fKsZJulfFs" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">The length of the necklace is 20 inches, so it sits a bit below the collar bone. With wear and a bit of age, the color of the copper clasp and wire guards will mellow and blend in. Most times with these necklace strands I take the extra effort to match the two sides though of course with the gemstones there's always a bit of variation; that's part of their charm!</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyYri3-WlIkdX1njE_gi6sdTrfsxppia1h74N0bUXwHQF6Us6bdQDioI0jIA4YNpm3MvWmWTmh4SIRN9POcoXltaIpmvGWr7nQ8DYgyCThAyu712ZyXmUOnc74SXtPK9HGMlVtXeXA4HrqyFrGU6heuoNNcDwnVictISOKSicjNz7GYM5q_F_DXRFNW9Dp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="3635" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyYri3-WlIkdX1njE_gi6sdTrfsxppia1h74N0bUXwHQF6Us6bdQDioI0jIA4YNpm3MvWmWTmh4SIRN9POcoXltaIpmvGWr7nQ8DYgyCThAyu712ZyXmUOnc74SXtPK9HGMlVtXeXA4HrqyFrGU6heuoNNcDwnVictISOKSicjNz7GYM5q_F_DXRFNW9Dp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Here you can see the 20 inches. I go through the necklace straps four times so they have about 32 lbs of strength in the cord itself on each side. With these necklaces I don't double up the cord to do this because the needles are verrrry thin so as to fit through those tiny seed beads, and they can break easily. So I take the extra time to go up and back, knot, then do a new thread and go up and back again. I like my work to last a long time : )</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3qfjozeiu48chKMsgb5WgPSC8AZY8nzM2MQna37xmI1X0FBgmBeank6jzMZwJw9Eh10kt_yAwWUbIPxT16wczYwOQza-Y9-Hjz74Zd4Ig0PHHfUkDIjfrhCYKsX_88DzZUK1nVxT7yZUOpUpwyLV3lvAsxmn-R0ictvw-WehRLEpS8jOHdcpswO275Lzj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1727" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3qfjozeiu48chKMsgb5WgPSC8AZY8nzM2MQna37xmI1X0FBgmBeank6jzMZwJw9Eh10kt_yAwWUbIPxT16wczYwOQza-Y9-Hjz74Zd4Ig0PHHfUkDIjfrhCYKsX_88DzZUK1nVxT7yZUOpUpwyLV3lvAsxmn-R0ictvw-WehRLEpS8jOHdcpswO275Lzj" width="285" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">The cabochon is just shy of two inches. A really nice size, not too big and not too small.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK0zxDTnq7E_hWLw-aB59EYWwODix-1WV6Q7no_bL0tNnB9z0WNKgQvi4hcMLZxJLQ_64S9hMCL4rVZOknOAOErj0wTW2fyKCTqjELqxTr8J9F4FAjg8v_PDXpBzxNc8hfqeMQzy4biIe838TBOQY6yKNFJzt48ILp5WZRmXCA7HbuFoWhDY1VKaAiOtH2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK0zxDTnq7E_hWLw-aB59EYWwODix-1WV6Q7no_bL0tNnB9z0WNKgQvi4hcMLZxJLQ_64S9hMCL4rVZOknOAOErj0wTW2fyKCTqjELqxTr8J9F4FAjg8v_PDXpBzxNc8hfqeMQzy4biIe838TBOQY6yKNFJzt48ILp5WZRmXCA7HbuFoWhDY1VKaAiOtH2=w312-h415" width="312" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Here she is! TA DA!</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The lovely Cosmic Tree Cabochon necklace is finished! YAY!! Here's the lowdown on the final steps. She's now available at <a href="https://www.artalacartepa.com/" target="_blank">Art a la Carte PA</a></span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">!</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Beautiful agate cabochon (the middle part), "phantom or rainbow quartz" necklace beads depending on how the vendor describes the gemstone, copper accent beads, and a luscious selection of seed beads with a sweet picot border. Yes, you can definitely wear her with jeans and a tee! She doesn't mind at all. I wear my cab </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">necklaces with very informal clothing all the time : ) Or pop on a pair of heels with those jeans or some gold or silver sandals and a button down with extra buttons left undone for date nights. She likes to get dressed up with you for special events too. She's one of a kind, no other like her in the whole wide world! </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Takes me about 16-20 hours to make these plus materials, which are the best quality I can get (some of my best cabochons come from Jaipur, India, and gemstone beads from all over the world), so when you see the price tag, which will be around $180, it's a giveaway full of love. What else would I rather be doing? It's one of my very favorite things to design these and I want you to enjoy them! Time well spent indeed : ) It's on my list to start doing some videos of the process but I'm not set up for that yet.</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">No worries if she sells, I try to keep several special pieces available at Art a la Carte, and am happy to work with clients on custom pieces. The design process is so much fun and so personal, and it doesn't cost any more to have one made on commission. I've done commission work for people all over the world, so you don't need to be able to visit me in person, we can communicate and share photos in a number of ways thanks to technologies today, yay!</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I'm at dreamkeepercreations@gmail.com</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Thanks for taking a peek! Happy beading if you're checking in to learn! </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Namaste,</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">~Jen</span></p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-22350974206398646622023-07-08T11:50:00.000-07:002023-07-08T11:50:14.205-07:00New Spin on Traditional Mala<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It's a busy month for me, and I've finished another commissioned mala. This one is a departure from the traditional bead pattern I use, which, of course incorporates the traditional 108 prayer beads. This one also has the 108, but this person wanted particular energies from several kinds of gemstones. So I stepped slightly out of the box, using 12 different kinds of gemstones for the 108, and gave it 9 rounds. It was so much fun, and I got good goosebumps when it was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;">finished. WOOT! How did I do?</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc4rTEO-znu6_VQByL8zFTTv2nWdGx4ZJ19KEOIa9E1IKRn1YtVZCc8GfTkrLNXzLY2BsBISXtPYqtijnakh02Vx3rXVcmewZUJeW-SFtcKbHXExwTDlFOAnktF6WmprY9iCAh9aAnZR4ORDVYKb7Q0xtA0Qu-gGq0KZJgkYjgVs6h2lW5QhP4WOXKmS__" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc4rTEO-znu6_VQByL8zFTTv2nWdGx4ZJ19KEOIa9E1IKRn1YtVZCc8GfTkrLNXzLY2BsBISXtPYqtijnakh02Vx3rXVcmewZUJeW-SFtcKbHXExwTDlFOAnktF6WmprY9iCAh9aAnZR4ORDVYKb7Q0xtA0Qu-gGq0KZJgkYjgVs6h2lW5QhP4WOXKmS__" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of wonderful energies in this mala!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTf0N1KOK-eRfa5-2Fpvu9Tet0FUet-uinMpqGpsg7q8VJ1MEf0cBSesbuBlLdiL9-50__ohVhHY008zI-jE3S9hIWCMRnUcETVyQYnVkc4fBFaa86KRyPKKcL_uID50tdOc0gopLJz5QGA_SGEfpL-K40BK0geJ0mXP_bRKFl7PCg-WrvueyWSrvEpmvs" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTf0N1KOK-eRfa5-2Fpvu9Tet0FUet-uinMpqGpsg7q8VJ1MEf0cBSesbuBlLdiL9-50__ohVhHY008zI-jE3S9hIWCMRnUcETVyQYnVkc4fBFaa86KRyPKKcL_uID50tdOc0gopLJz5QGA_SGEfpL-K40BK0geJ0mXP_bRKFl7PCg-WrvueyWSrvEpmvs" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the beautiful shooting star bead, <br />which is the teacher bead on the mala.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">This is one of the magnificent shooting star beads made by my favorite bead artists, Barbara and Katie in Edinburgh, Scotland. There are two accent beads: carnelian, and onyx.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLQ70vhe_6axAsTUuWpCRbS7yaiGQWBWfMksYKxfByCpDgPlxPbT6acX4JyR0WMl4yoQM4GAjB6g8J8eKXSlmXChn6A6o-4lDYmDomqOZELbvilAgZT4gGa9QXW3jyz1mqvgpsEnYZ2CMxW3nueDwOkUlkWnULlTWNF32Re6bpxPOqY9SANi3j2quY_W6J" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLQ70vhe_6axAsTUuWpCRbS7yaiGQWBWfMksYKxfByCpDgPlxPbT6acX4JyR0WMl4yoQM4GAjB6g8J8eKXSlmXChn6A6o-4lDYmDomqOZELbvilAgZT4gGa9QXW3jyz1mqvgpsEnYZ2CMxW3nueDwOkUlkWnULlTWNF32Re6bpxPOqY9SANi3j2quY_W6J" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quality in attention to detail : )</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">Here you can see the matching pattern of the sides. (Please excuse my working mat which gets a lot of wear and tear....)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNlbi7N1WizG6XmAmNOPocgxMu5Xua1uZ9xgOpVH0TPMH7-J1eAPaKmXcHjZjDlDElWyjUHW7KZwhpFpn_W1vLz53DhMrfsXz4JljUpculccSRU3B2TJLEU6RSz0a3naQPbO-5gHwhl1lDZFYDsAmYcn6rgT_Qvfi6yhTB7wtA8RVksJs_KndLPoSfh-Pv" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNlbi7N1WizG6XmAmNOPocgxMu5Xua1uZ9xgOpVH0TPMH7-J1eAPaKmXcHjZjDlDElWyjUHW7KZwhpFpn_W1vLz53DhMrfsXz4JljUpculccSRU3B2TJLEU6RSz0a3naQPbO-5gHwhl1lDZFYDsAmYcn6rgT_Qvfi6yhTB7wtA8RVksJs_KndLPoSfh-Pv" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TA DA!!</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">And there she is, her playful self! Sooooo MUCH good energy in this one! I hope it brings comfort, strength, and joy!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /><br /></span></p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-73928001883228305772023-07-08T11:41:00.010-07:002023-07-08T22:43:05.106-07:00Playing with Neurographic Art, SO MUCH FUN!<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxnkQ0JVFFOo2weNG6s9ymI0Fux9Nblc1KMkNB5IHMrcs5q9Hh5-Xd-cubJBEvh5hGqeKi6IF2BFrgOKNORj201iTgv0od80zIO4k3wwbXWjBXeBTy2dqXaaKV2SfoECTj6YkNzYAWRzAw0_Q48tx1sY6CulgOnyVj-hE7asQDflaXgt8hg6aTYYH1XhQ3" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxnkQ0JVFFOo2weNG6s9ymI0Fux9Nblc1KMkNB5IHMrcs5q9Hh5-Xd-cubJBEvh5hGqeKi6IF2BFrgOKNORj201iTgv0od80zIO4k3wwbXWjBXeBTy2dqXaaKV2SfoECTj6YkNzYAWRzAw0_Q48tx1sY6CulgOnyVj-hE7asQDflaXgt8hg6aTYYH1XhQ3" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See if you can spot the pointed part that I missed. <br />I went back and corrected it, lol.<br />(You can click on the images to make them larger.)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One of my friends recently taught me (thank you Sandy!) about a concept called <a href="https://neurographic.art/2019/02/25/what-is-neurographics/" target="_blank">Neurographic Art</a>, as defined by Pavel Piskarev in 2014. Last night I checked out the videos on YouTube - wow so fun, and all so different! So I decided to play with it today for lots of reasons, partly to "warm up my hands" in preparation for doing the illustrations for my first children's book, and also because it has developed a wonderful reputation for creating a calm, relaxed state (which art </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">does anyway), and for helping to heal various challenges in the body (which relaxation does anyway). WOOT! It is SO MUCH FUN!! Just playin'. Yes, this is GREAT to do with kids of all ages! And yes, I've already broken some of the rules, HA! Well there aren't very many - much of the literature around it hasn't yet been translated and the basics do vary according to who is teaching it, so I figured it's okay to just have fun. I'm going out tomorrow (yay) and MUST make myself go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight and NOT stay up all night painting it, will just have to look forward to it after I get home! I'm always happiest when I know there's a fun project waiting for me whatever I'm doing when I'm away from the studio.</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, .SFNSText-Regular, sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaJkqMawKaNF_CNKjnjf_wPt7Ne86cLS-QBMb0VnrE8DygodFBXi7C42qn4sSk9h91zXQ0jfG1htzccM2D0FHFjPsSoPYDtHOBL9gaw8mBJbEKU-Z1FHT7Afd_qoI0ln8XcvreryiNKyohFgtEZGrXGYYEp_IvAd4FMqOuXtGFT1QTDC3XMnEt2WQ6Hw4D" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaJkqMawKaNF_CNKjnjf_wPt7Ne86cLS-QBMb0VnrE8DygodFBXi7C42qn4sSk9h91zXQ0jfG1htzccM2D0FHFjPsSoPYDtHOBL9gaw8mBJbEKU-Z1FHT7Afd_qoI0ln8XcvreryiNKyohFgtEZGrXGYYEp_IvAd4FMqOuXtGFT1QTDC3XMnEt2WQ6Hw4D" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost the beginning of the process.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I wish I'd taken a photo of the lines themselves before adding the rounding and other details, but I forgot. This is a fun activity because I can sit on the porch in a spankin' wet bathing suit and play away! After I'd done some initial circles and lines, I spent time rounding all the pointed angles (one of the "rules" of neurographic art), then one of the circles called to me to make it a beautiful face, so I did. I kept on going, and could see other things appearing in the lines and shapes just as they were, so enhanced them. She's turning into a lovely pregnant woman who's taking a nap and dreaming with her baby.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg22PI3nrnRa0006_VL89JbWEkiGlXIhE__y4uYmttcj5suPGftNIo6YwjtmJ8epZDZJyQq4j7M2dzmBDu5wEuCNnxLTVkpxXjQb6y39hwFXfBnMFw8mwxNHdBQ1-7f4gNd_WHJ6eKOhKcEWcWfJA0gMxtv73c5xlsHkyQ_ydiU5wgwZb-KeLsWXMqnc7Lf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="2048" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg22PI3nrnRa0006_VL89JbWEkiGlXIhE__y4uYmttcj5suPGftNIo6YwjtmJ8epZDZJyQq4j7M2dzmBDu5wEuCNnxLTVkpxXjQb6y39hwFXfBnMFw8mwxNHdBQ1-7f4gNd_WHJ6eKOhKcEWcWfJA0gMxtv73c5xlsHkyQ_ydiU5wgwZb-KeLsWXMqnc7Lf" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little bit further along...</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I added what I call "soul stars" and spirals and a bit of love in the little hearts. Also drew her feet, which are curled up while she naps.</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSQrL710V0_AXdSepIi8qGSCwIuueVb1sXYHmBAkj7mwQX6or9hDOrCfM1EGc8Fyk_7a0_wbxkEdnGMP6xzco6FEiz-R-CL3rp4ILY5Fsf5FZstQbrRqCf_7intxcF7z2-OHjcd2h0GTtf_RQ2s73BXCumCIaluhBHdkgXbapwudbFQSKJ_SfsVO2MQaWW" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="2048" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSQrL710V0_AXdSepIi8qGSCwIuueVb1sXYHmBAkj7mwQX6or9hDOrCfM1EGc8Fyk_7a0_wbxkEdnGMP6xzco6FEiz-R-CL3rp4ILY5Fsf5FZstQbrRqCf_7intxcF7z2-OHjcd2h0GTtf_RQ2s73BXCumCIaluhBHdkgXbapwudbFQSKJ_SfsVO2MQaWW" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little more doodling, this is fun!</td></tr></tbody></table><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">She let me know she's wearing her yoga pants with her lovely pink tunic and that she reeeeally loves the baby, so I added all that in. The baby has the spiritual spiral and so does her mother, baby within its whole belly since it's an ancient spirit coming into a brand new body, and mom in her third eye, from which she dreams and meditates and receives spiritual guidance.</span><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsfO_vgXBPCgLZkXFWqxSUOktOFBQn5lDCYGG-A4ZykjqMAcSd_8a3jEeau4YJXfOqeeV6pa3eDmXxi4t2tbJZxIXz6SiTwchLn9slFQIRnh0eBnHEaMYWBCE_sWzbg702Enx1pqg_Jr4pkkTBbuq0dCsjZN8fKn48VWNCr8avTYlMyuzdNE1pnVBG0Vlj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="2048" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsfO_vgXBPCgLZkXFWqxSUOktOFBQn5lDCYGG-A4ZykjqMAcSd_8a3jEeau4YJXfOqeeV6pa3eDmXxi4t2tbJZxIXz6SiTwchLn9slFQIRnh0eBnHEaMYWBCE_sWzbg702Enx1pqg_Jr4pkkTBbuq0dCsjZN8fKn48VWNCr8avTYlMyuzdNE1pnVBG0Vlj" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the lines and black and white are done!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">One of the last steps was creating balance, so I worked around putting in the dark parts, balancing the flowers and kitty let me know he'd like more detail so we can see him. I like to pretend those two spirals next to kitty are the yarn he likes to play with when he's not snoozing. Next step is to begin adding some COLOR! WOOT!! The whole thing is very "retro." Why fight it? It's what was already there from the beginning, just needed a few nudges to pop right out!</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #050505; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgevyYxj3Y96UDDPdHjIDq70knJ-qqnXDFTrJ_AR2xg1k9Ck2lMKlS7eX7gjYRnsucyWrCnqkk5rftcFyQCvdDCMtPa6-Wb0HtHPtp83e4WpWPOEI0-H_5I5wpjcLBiynvft8g3tsWjk9_lyx7K_gA-Rt1hjiV0WqNh1yGVVOR_EWxEYQmzZqua_YqamCc8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="2048" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgevyYxj3Y96UDDPdHjIDq70knJ-qqnXDFTrJ_AR2xg1k9Ck2lMKlS7eX7gjYRnsucyWrCnqkk5rftcFyQCvdDCMtPa6-Wb0HtHPtp83e4WpWPOEI0-H_5I5wpjcLBiynvft8g3tsWjk9_lyx7K_gA-Rt1hjiV0WqNh1yGVVOR_EWxEYQmzZqua_YqamCc8" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Color starting to happen!</td></tr></tbody></table><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #050505;">I might have to go back over some of the black because the gouache fades it out a bit, so that might be one of the final steps once I'm finished with the painting.</span></span><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCF0RlOV6bEdaRz04Jq4AMVyDNKms7ZRIId4VQkvCi98xxx4SSuJzN5ZDlpKOscioM4ADjag_UKbK5d4vxsrY6YsFGnEnCl6gHfwqgdSpc2L4dEpWJtbpQzmeyiQFc-NgQMya3HBzoqqoeSmBcB-GfAQ4aBWR9Si_Pfh_sDxPfTwdNZZXmjhcNNdilF83W" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2584" data-original-width="3874" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCF0RlOV6bEdaRz04Jq4AMVyDNKms7ZRIId4VQkvCi98xxx4SSuJzN5ZDlpKOscioM4ADjag_UKbK5d4vxsrY6YsFGnEnCl6gHfwqgdSpc2L4dEpWJtbpQzmeyiQFc-NgQMya3HBzoqqoeSmBcB-GfAQ4aBWR9Si_Pfh_sDxPfTwdNZZXmjhcNNdilF83W" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Yep, I did go over the black designs in her yoga pants and some other parts too. Now starting to work on the background, which I think of as a soft quilt underneath her. Bringing in some balance with darker colors. Sat looking at those white spaces and asked them, "What do you want to be?" Then I listened, and they told me.</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkcOtnAPMdvgLl397ebc-NRvs0kw0nIJPqtqF4L4Fr-CWAR-XIpVFMY1Zf5jn8LNIG2vx5LZab7xLbhBi6zykzUsGEubwY5e1QOAyFwwGUM9jEAFC2VBALDKJBIPeabsUCdu4S88LuzeTwgUD1sSXPWcZfLaLz-Ky4jODCUHuQ-yNEMaw8lccmcYCv8vOf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2447" data-original-width="3560" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkcOtnAPMdvgLl397ebc-NRvs0kw0nIJPqtqF4L4Fr-CWAR-XIpVFMY1Zf5jn8LNIG2vx5LZab7xLbhBi6zykzUsGEubwY5e1QOAyFwwGUM9jEAFC2VBALDKJBIPeabsUCdu4S88LuzeTwgUD1sSXPWcZfLaLz-Ky4jODCUHuQ-yNEMaw8lccmcYCv8vOf" width="320" /></a></div><br />And now most of it is done except for the skin tones which are always scary to me, but I won't put them in until after I test them first on a scrap piece of the same kind of paper.</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip1W4rCWaY6ZBuHFi8tb4iacWSn07L5GwFUBs2v03Dky_GC1G7WPi8ONhZeoPuCP7xV7tOObXyuiBMMMjqKNkHMy-7MyP40s-X1HiroI_RUX-Hi-adBy6gVRok3UW51ayR6VTKiwQU7lCgs2ff_kI8mPGbFfpqyVI3N4cFy_BtUgYy0pcoiYwpNAYze4TF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip1W4rCWaY6ZBuHFi8tb4iacWSn07L5GwFUBs2v03Dky_GC1G7WPi8ONhZeoPuCP7xV7tOObXyuiBMMMjqKNkHMy-7MyP40s-X1HiroI_RUX-Hi-adBy6gVRok3UW51ayR6VTKiwQU7lCgs2ff_kI8mPGbFfpqyVI3N4cFy_BtUgYy0pcoiYwpNAYze4TF" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>It's like a little message to trust and keep going to see this little heart shape on my paper towel after I've wiped my brush I used to mix skin tone on it.</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7Jvl73EQhCRTo1qUXgGhDc3Q4sltaElvgwLbntAsunyvBL5DZb6xIRC7KpGvLwkphlX_ZYQgs_gqOJmWtItPM7F0UDKdi1Pjt870dlJQ9fKwRL5ttdvvSps7NGQ7pN7EGOUI-_TROyLc7n0yn4k8emrhNj0N_raE3o031W4w7YIp3SVBdhuLQ2-qUFLtw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7Jvl73EQhCRTo1qUXgGhDc3Q4sltaElvgwLbntAsunyvBL5DZb6xIRC7KpGvLwkphlX_ZYQgs_gqOJmWtItPM7F0UDKdi1Pjt870dlJQ9fKwRL5ttdvvSps7NGQ7pN7EGOUI-_TROyLc7n0yn4k8emrhNj0N_raE3o031W4w7YIp3SVBdhuLQ2-qUFLtw" width="180" /></a></div><br />Now her face presents a challenge. Her cheeks are too pale for the rest of the painting but going over them takes patience. WAIT for the skin tone to dry! WAIT! WAIT! NOT YET! So I went and tidied up the kitchen and came back....Okay, now you can do that.</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhba_IyqJNjNzBBZqW-cEGeJgtlJRjSJO625Vs5Ux8I-4MG4oNlRlmqbLmXcQ08PTUFuLk-yjgxE-bgpFB8uBd1Nurg3UhT8ZkivpkllTIALG91wuamMmgJDlsgeWkkc32LdqKqaOpHMJ2tttFYkLsCVc4cTdCXKlqLpszyCKFSSymj8a2JZWAclBmoDQQE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhba_IyqJNjNzBBZqW-cEGeJgtlJRjSJO625Vs5Ux8I-4MG4oNlRlmqbLmXcQ08PTUFuLk-yjgxE-bgpFB8uBd1Nurg3UhT8ZkivpkllTIALG91wuamMmgJDlsgeWkkc32LdqKqaOpHMJ2tttFYkLsCVc4cTdCXKlqLpszyCKFSSymj8a2JZWAclBmoDQQE" width="320" /></a></div><br />So her little cheeks are nice and rosy and her hair, which also presented a challenge because it's black, has some pretty highlights. I also gave the baby a mouth after practicing on the scrap paper, and spent a bit of time going over some of the blacks to make sure they're nice and dark. </span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtiGXXfgijnsWVdRNVnneqZztorDYF8pbY_gNacNYrGEQyjOatvcSdvP9Zdn0pWIUtsNP2O4R9psTS1jSquHispfnDlLcQ4mlaNEGqH7a6LfwaC4cTTcwuvY_rHv0EaTPOExUsl1_ROLrurmFsK81BOm08rrfpZ7VRLU6DBiV2li2jWTjzJVPs2AUptN2I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1767" data-original-width="2713" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtiGXXfgijnsWVdRNVnneqZztorDYF8pbY_gNacNYrGEQyjOatvcSdvP9Zdn0pWIUtsNP2O4R9psTS1jSquHispfnDlLcQ4mlaNEGqH7a6LfwaC4cTTcwuvY_rHv0EaTPOExUsl1_ROLrurmFsK81BOm08rrfpZ7VRLU6DBiV2li2jWTjzJVPs2AUptN2I" width="320" /></a></div><br />And now I can feel that it's done. So I took the brushes and palettes and water holders into the kitchen and cleaned them up. And of course after I looked at it a while I found one more pointed area I forgot to round off, so I did that. Lol. Never perfect, but good is good enough, right?!</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigosihj8bFdyGDPrBgrqdEQyADPwqwYmylluV6qYnfVZHOIF-4jJ16XCooxptZs_0CfpJ_KVGskAZVzLyCN0oF_jx8gTvowwvkjuAYna668B2FYka9oKpXoHN1dWdGuRkZKLf-zNy-QoVyvTksNnTGDOIGTs5JK0VAUKNdecV-aX3gJv2ij6fHpi_u_GkM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigosihj8bFdyGDPrBgrqdEQyADPwqwYmylluV6qYnfVZHOIF-4jJ16XCooxptZs_0CfpJ_KVGskAZVzLyCN0oF_jx8gTvowwvkjuAYna668B2FYka9oKpXoHN1dWdGuRkZKLf-zNy-QoVyvTksNnTGDOIGTs5JK0VAUKNdecV-aX3gJv2ij6fHpi_u_GkM" width="180" /></a></div><br />I'm superstitious about my paper towels that I use while I'm painting. I never throw the one away that I'm using until I'm onto the next project. And I've used the same water containers for years and years and years. Classico organic spaghetti sauce. Before that, years ago I had a special green shirt that I had to wear when I drew or painted. I grew out of that one, but not the other superstitions, lol. What superstitions do you have around your artwork? </span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Tip for you - I LOVE to use the porcelain palettes because they clean up really well after using acrylic gouache. All ready for the next time!</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIuVCEcbyPxVhfUuupJnWySYcS8wvcXaoGH0RrCDkvVJVYBT_t9d6Z0cxUmWuy_oTeLRZMIWCov1mTa7yxfIXls-X_HwPqQ90Pj27ahECFvaKijKB6TrU6BoY_wjKpTmZuPqJfrN-Htp2veVXab_y5EDYKnUbobGQ9LnlJ6rM0-NCeI_Wt-19YGdODfuol" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIuVCEcbyPxVhfUuupJnWySYcS8wvcXaoGH0RrCDkvVJVYBT_t9d6Z0cxUmWuy_oTeLRZMIWCov1mTa7yxfIXls-X_HwPqQ90Pj27ahECFvaKijKB6TrU6BoY_wjKpTmZuPqJfrN-Htp2veVXab_y5EDYKnUbobGQ9LnlJ6rM0-NCeI_Wt-19YGdODfuol" width="320" /></a></div><br />And I have a ton of brushes, but this time tried out the Winsor and Newton Series 7 ones that are fairly soft compared to my old favorites that have a lot more bounce. I really like how these performed so will use them for the children's book.</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">I totally encourage you to play with Neurographic art, however it feels FUN for you. You can use plain old black and white, or color in with markers or colored pencils or whatever feels good! Give yourself permission to play, we all can benefit from this kind of activity.</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">I think it would be LOADS of fun to do a sip and play party at some point, maybe out by the pool with a few peeps who might enjoy this activity My patio table seats six! Let me know in the comments if you'd be interested. You don't have to finish the whole thing but it was actually pretty surprising that it didn't take hardly any time at all, maybe three hours all in all to draw and another few hours to color and go over some of the black. A really nice couple of evenings....</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">All the joys to you!</span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Namaste,</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">~Jen </span></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><p></p></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-81789256815705149912023-07-01T14:50:00.003-07:002023-07-01T15:16:45.873-07:00Tribute to Our Beloved Bennie<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijYxHb72DWZCd3mzW9__W8S4UnE5RcVZgitdut_y1cGfWXB6USdWj2fomwFHOWfcBleU_RX0vamdVHOT-NuVGth-Uffujqt8b5TBCSjPwq5jUaSz6zplGDf_2HoFuAqV2YtbqKQUtOoOoUwrZBeHyY2Aque4aa6txeSjBdH9I9sqYH8QBGfoAOiROON6b-" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3724" data-original-width="2096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijYxHb72DWZCd3mzW9__W8S4UnE5RcVZgitdut_y1cGfWXB6USdWj2fomwFHOWfcBleU_RX0vamdVHOT-NuVGth-Uffujqt8b5TBCSjPwq5jUaSz6zplGDf_2HoFuAqV2YtbqKQUtOoOoUwrZBeHyY2Aque4aa6txeSjBdH9I9sqYH8QBGfoAOiROON6b-" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beloved Bennie</td></tr></tbody></table>Hard to believe this little fella lived to be 101.5 in doggie years (14.5 in human years). Wow, SO MUCH LOVE! And so many darling sweet memories!<p></p><p>This is Benjamin Berghage, also known as Ben, Bennie, Bennifred, Buns, Bunny, Little Man, Tinyboy, Cuddlepuff, Hugmuffin, My Love, Sweet Boy, Chippyhunter (he never caught one but loved to stand guard for hours at the entrances to their homes and along their backyard highways), Spinnyboy, Trotter, The Best Boy in the World Right Next to His Brothers, and many more endearments.</p><p>I think he had a vocabulary of about 200 words and I swear he could understand whole conversations. Not only "our" conversations: "Is it time to flirt for your supper? You flirt so GOOD! I could feed you all DAY!" but also the puppy conversations that echo throughout the neighborhood when anything's going on, such as the mail peeps making their rounds, or storms coming, or puppysuppertime, or other pups walking by and leaving their calling cards out front. You could set your watch by him, he ALWAYS knew when it was "3 in the morning bark at the moon time, and maybe I can wake all the neighbors, oh, I'm supposed to potty and come in quick? No way. Just a few more sniffs needed time," "wake up Pop way too early time with the first birdsong," 4 p.m. and just an hour until puppysuppertime so time to flirt, 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30 (outtie o'clock times again), plus "Bigbed Time" at around 11 when he and his brother get snacks after they come back in and get ready for nighttime sleeps with Pops (Bennie) or in the studio with me (Lil Bear). </p><p>One of his many favorite things to do was watch the "Bennievision," which streams all the neighborhood happenings outside the big picture window right behind the couch. He and his brother, Lil Bear, loved to prop themselves across the back of the couch and watch for hours or snooze in the sunbeams coming in.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZJd_c4QAyyNie84UhUdZL7aeiXPzu-njKbBLlptlepexfKTP9tyUyQTpTcRDc_WCwiVDz1Ux_6jcERJG4Gq05-bddKbxWNGmTfUqrRqwpfM1saPrlmBr90anh1TBO6hS5IdoeDl3WoFEWeA7nWYjmd4nFnQ2BGNPji0YX6EpCmtRlzGm8GajHpP_S450W" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="720" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZJd_c4QAyyNie84UhUdZL7aeiXPzu-njKbBLlptlepexfKTP9tyUyQTpTcRDc_WCwiVDz1Ux_6jcERJG4Gq05-bddKbxWNGmTfUqrRqwpfM1saPrlmBr90anh1TBO6hS5IdoeDl3WoFEWeA7nWYjmd4nFnQ2BGNPji0YX6EpCmtRlzGm8GajHpP_S450W" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Bennie's fave spots by the Bennievision window.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G9hf_Eg0Mg0PD1TmYQYA2P76ExkJeRsQC9gySufcCjeSlCGcwxJnxRKLHQ5fvfVSaM3BsigYrwoyz33ELybkR8BbG33Cm1Jl7cg4kdG4ncZGQubayG6u9F9_Ma5RjxvlZjXltRSkIZSTfXwXLLvzV7JtqHOWNGduNR68xZgixh3yN1rWF6mZv-pDRvTC/s640/DSC_0228.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G9hf_Eg0Mg0PD1TmYQYA2P76ExkJeRsQC9gySufcCjeSlCGcwxJnxRKLHQ5fvfVSaM3BsigYrwoyz33ELybkR8BbG33Cm1Jl7cg4kdG4ncZGQubayG6u9F9_Ma5RjxvlZjXltRSkIZSTfXwXLLvzV7JtqHOWNGduNR68xZgixh3yN1rWF6mZv-pDRvTC/s320/DSC_0228.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falling in LOVE!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I fell in love with him at Steve's pet store years ago when we still had pet stores with pups and kitties and rabbits and birds and fish and turtles and gerbils and guinea pigs and all the lovelies awaiting their forever homes. I'd stopped by after work, which was something I loved to do whenever I was in the area just for the joy of visiting with the animals. THERE he was, and I went into the puppy area and played with him for quite a while. I found it just so hard to leave him, but I hotfooted it home and told my husband, "I KNOW what I want for my birthday!" Then said, "Come with me!" So we hopped in the car and went back to the pet store, and there was some WOMAN walking around with a Yorkie in her arms, well I was about ready to grab him and run, but I realized THAT wasn't Bennie, it was his SISTER! So I dragged my hubby to the puppy visiting room, where I picked up Bennie and batted my eyelashes at my husband. He put his hands in the pockets of his jacket, knowing that if he touched this dog it would be all over. I pulled his hands out and plopped Bennie right into them, and YUP! It was all over. Bennie gave Rob a tiny, polite little kiss on his face and cuddled right in. Happy Birthday Jen!! WOOT! Heck of a birthday, he was a purebred Yorkie, father named Rambo (hence Bennie's fairly good adult weight of about 16 lbs) and mother named Buttercup. I think he took after his mother, he was such a sweetie. <div><br /></div><div>But here's the thing.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we brought Bennie home, WHO did he fall in love with and follow around and play with and snuggle with? Yep, it was ROB.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQshZrAsKHW_jY0nVz4PVIibMEtXc0amH2lTCuiluFbqKVD0TA6QiwLcpUXpv2nRIIiPJuIk0dn920dZfEiBsOzvsttr0HJYR7ve4vT8JnEQxAUllcSwmb3smvqjyQYigfE8c6D6jC1QrjxEr3bdzI_oCrLKNGTd91Koxx7TpiQH675r7e2ONOl1YHTwDV/s2023/DSC_0269.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="2023" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQshZrAsKHW_jY0nVz4PVIibMEtXc0amH2lTCuiluFbqKVD0TA6QiwLcpUXpv2nRIIiPJuIk0dn920dZfEiBsOzvsttr0HJYR7ve4vT8JnEQxAUllcSwmb3smvqjyQYigfE8c6D6jC1QrjxEr3bdzI_oCrLKNGTd91Koxx7TpiQH675r7e2ONOl1YHTwDV/s320/DSC_0269.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who's dog is this? ROB'S!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>So this lasted for a couple of years, and one day I decided to pop into the pet store again for fun, and LOOK WHAT I FOUND! Or should I say, LOOK WHAT FOUND ME!</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hakTGnjcylsG26pArlj_p5eAOzK6wVCLsIBnCn4sxzmRsgr3USk2u64xyFNbsniypXKB03aDKAlnmAQtnEhCpM9mBwzHZp9kBIdBV-SyOl0lpi6dcM63ruy_mgDKAQzrBYOp2vfegE96W1-q3ENSXEACKMhZVfcOGoJfa5Hsyip-6FULJC6UATujsOfy/s719/45223_419946197543_6309805_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="719" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hakTGnjcylsG26pArlj_p5eAOzK6wVCLsIBnCn4sxzmRsgr3USk2u64xyFNbsniypXKB03aDKAlnmAQtnEhCpM9mBwzHZp9kBIdBV-SyOl0lpi6dcM63ruy_mgDKAQzrBYOp2vfegE96W1-q3ENSXEACKMhZVfcOGoJfa5Hsyip-6FULJC6UATujsOfy/s320/45223_419946197543_6309805_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uh oh!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>When I was sitting on the floor in the puppy visiting room this little fur ball came up to me and climbed right into my lap, licked the inside of my elbow for a few minutes, then settled in for a nap. Oh GOSH! I fell in LOVE AGAIN! (When he grew up my sister's granddaughter named him Lickiedog as this habit of grooming people he loves has stuck fast.)<div><br /></div><div>So I hotfooted it home and put a total head trip on my hubby, saying how even though Bennie <i>was</i> my birthday present, he didn't bond with <i>me</i>, he bonded with ROB, so perhaps we should pop by that pet store again just for fun. MUHAhahahahaha.... I had a plan. So when we got there I made sure Rob didn't put his hands in his pockets and I batted my eyelashes at him again, real hard, and I said how I just didn't think I could leave this little puffball behind, and GUESS WHAT HAPPENED! Bennie got a BROTHER! </div><div><br /></div><div>So we had Benjamin and Lil Bear together for ALL THESE YEARS and they loved to walk shoulder to shoulder all around the neighborhoods in the evenings with us, and they wrestled like brothers before puppysuppertime, and they shared the beeeautiful backyard comfortably, (Bennie's the city boy and always preferred the patio, where Lil Bear is my nature boy and rambles over every square inch of the gnarly grassy/woodsy areas) and one time when they got out the front door they took off for an unsupervised downtown adventure that made me CRAZY with worry, but they stayed shoulder to shoulder then too, and some <i>wonderful</i> Penn State students picked them both up and brought them home to us, THANK GOODNESS. I gave the pup rescuers my brand new perfectly unwrinkled $50 dollar bill I'd just gotten for birthday money, I was sooooo grateful.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxe-htjQ0O7sjvtQw0lo1ywTTZditDLWkhCnElQjPoOeC3NqyaFGuVqhTwohx24qcyLiCalIFYrg18npMws9-7HWfeJRawDQAzrHkVWPXSD-q7DhE7mAc-d2-_9tV1kzj0vcOyNDgIa0W-EuCtFXMYAiw6KAvPl6VI7u47sEF2xofsqtbLr3N2EDWjRk1I/s4032/IMG_7547.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxe-htjQ0O7sjvtQw0lo1ywTTZditDLWkhCnElQjPoOeC3NqyaFGuVqhTwohx24qcyLiCalIFYrg18npMws9-7HWfeJRawDQAzrHkVWPXSD-q7DhE7mAc-d2-_9tV1kzj0vcOyNDgIa0W-EuCtFXMYAiw6KAvPl6VI7u47sEF2xofsqtbLr3N2EDWjRk1I/s320/IMG_7547.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoulder to shoulder funtimes! <br />Helping Rob with the Christmas tree.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>So they've had many years together and now it's time for Bennie's next chapter, a true adventure indeed. He gets to cross the Rainbow Bridge and get a total reboot on his aging little body. He has physical challenges that he can't recover from, and it's clear that he's in too much pain now. So we are loving him extra (if that's possible) this weekend and Monday is his Return to True Home Cross the Rainbow Bridge Day. I'm so glad he will no longer be in pain. We've had him on meds and special stuff for about a year, but he is fast declining now.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kQqkcBtTnDikmGMFGhLmx2dSjobP1dl73DNBLl98vv2-b0rAE-4_-7HjyXBvUy1qbVxVGWPWt3FNcgJyWIs3ZI-7cAtXPCh0XNk26uhDcn4f30mXk4BOckSlP6E0ncS1UgiN6HXqDZXQqPJT5yIQM2_hsnK04fv65brl-bcz27atSdvjJDCjFybstuom/s4032/IMG_7722.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kQqkcBtTnDikmGMFGhLmx2dSjobP1dl73DNBLl98vv2-b0rAE-4_-7HjyXBvUy1qbVxVGWPWt3FNcgJyWIs3ZI-7cAtXPCh0XNk26uhDcn4f30mXk4BOckSlP6E0ncS1UgiN6HXqDZXQqPJT5yIQM2_hsnK04fv65brl-bcz27atSdvjJDCjFybstuom/s320/IMG_7722.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Boy Ben! Good job!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Of course I've prayed that things would happen naturally, alas to no avail. And I've had conversations with him letting him know it's okay to go. He sleeps most of the time, so he's been halfway there for quite some months. When one of his tumors started bleeding rather profusely yesterday, we agreed that it's the sign I was asking for to know when is the right time to give him some help. So Rob put a soft sock on the foot Bennie was scratching with and wrapped it with some medical tape, and so far it's working so Bennie can at least sleep and enjoy a few of his favorite things, such as lots of cuddles, extra snacks, and the good sniffs in the beeeautiful backyard. We washed the tender spot but couldn't dress it or wrap with bandages, so we're glad the soft sock is working.</div><div><br /></div><div>THANK YOU Ben, for all the LOVE, and may you feel ours forever and ever, as we do yours. See you on the other side, Buns, and that will be excellent indeed XOXO </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, with love, we can do hard things. And we've got LOTS of friends in Heaven.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wishing you all many blessings and much love.</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>~Jen</div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-19060578525784631132023-05-24T23:41:00.011-07:002023-05-26T15:21:07.186-07:00I Don't KNOW How to Socialize!<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfNcNMNvBI7-0JhSmzCsOSZnJ2J9b731Mh_XIiiC9bhTQLRVOFBXDgiU7eRpqLQgkuPcnOTGcxTAZyF0WOoc3T4ZJd6O9SeQe7mDGlTwSNQKUTM_5RqezOhBOSpXlY8azvqgNBkZqEj8rkDGh9O-20FitI_fIxKJeo_J3us940PVRIKpDIxyBR-IyNfQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2378" data-original-width="1866" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfNcNMNvBI7-0JhSmzCsOSZnJ2J9b731Mh_XIiiC9bhTQLRVOFBXDgiU7eRpqLQgkuPcnOTGcxTAZyF0WOoc3T4ZJd6O9SeQe7mDGlTwSNQKUTM_5RqezOhBOSpXlY8azvqgNBkZqEj8rkDGh9O-20FitI_fIxKJeo_J3us940PVRIKpDIxyBR-IyNfQ" width="188" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, that's me in my happy place!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I JUST NOW realized something about myself that I never knew! All these years, (64 now)! And that is, I didn't know HOW to socialize for MOST of my life! Working on it now and the learning is FUN....</p><p>As you know, if you've read my blog, I was an "Exxon brat" and we moved all the time, lots of times out of the country. So I had a childhood that was full of some truly wonderful experiences, which included being part of cultures totally different from American culture (the Netherlands where I was born, Japan, Italy, Malaysia, England, and other points in-between), and that brought demands to us children (my sister, brother and myself) that kids who were "born and raised in one place" didn't experience. </p><p>Such as learning to amuse ourselves so that we were "seen and not heard," and learning to behave AT ALL TIMES OR ELSE, which meant, basically folding our hands and being silent if we were in a public place, which was often. Lots of time spent in really excellent hotels between all the moves, which required reeeeally good behavior. </p><p>Mom tells us that strangers used to stop her in the hotel restaurants and comment on how well-behaved we were, lol. Mom had several techniques to make that happen, one of which was the raised eyebrow, another was the stare that could practically kill, among others, like bribery with the promise of new comic books for 25 cents a piece, which worked very well on my sister and me. We amassed a collection of about 300 comic books, which, unfortunately we had to leave behind in one of our moves. Damn, they'd probably be worth a fortune today! You can tell which technique mom preferred, lol.</p><p>The huge bonuses of this kind of life, to me, were that I got to visit some of the most amazing museums all over the world, I got to attend foreign schools, so learned different subjects (according to the country and its history and priorities), languages (started learning French when I was 9 years old in a British school), went on amazing school field trips to neighboring countries near the U.K., and learned to LOVE so many different kinds of people and their cultures, saw lands that are very different from anything we have here in America, such as jungles with all the animals and native peoples therein and about, waterways in Italy, maids and housekeepers and helpers who took care of us kids, etc., while mom did the Exxon <i>wife</i> thing which lots of people of that era understand. That included business-based schmoozing wine and cheese parties, bridge parties, outings with other Exxon couples, and basically rubbing elbows and hob-nobbing with others of my parents ilk. We were always put to bed before the parties started, and yes, we did sneak halfway down the staircase to peek at the people all dressed up but were careful not to get caught.</p><p>That kind of life didn't include relatives or cousins or much visiting with friends our age (my parents were both only children anyway, so no aunties or uncles or cousins), so we learned to amuse ourselves according to mom's command to go "read or write or draw something!" So we kids got good at all that. </p><p>But what I wasn't so good at later on was knowing what to do when you DO visit someone, like a girlfriend. I had no idea that people didn't just sit around and talk and eat and drink and do grown-up things from which we were pretty much banned, until we came back to the U.S. and moved into a neighborhood where there were some other kids. Because we were sort of banned from the grown-up entertaining, which was fairly formal, we didn't get to see that "everyone in the kitchen" thing that you see on TV (God I just LOVE that, but when I tried to corral my family into doing potlucks at our frequent barbecues rather than the host doing all the stuff, I created <i>complete</i> havoc until they got used to it and I'm not sure I've ever been completely forgiven for that). Though we helped with the chores part of kitchen stuff when we were kids, we weren't invited to help cook or prepare the food. Mom wasn't that kind of mother.... Oh when I grew into an adult, I could host a GREAT party, with wonderful foods, music, and lots of service to the guests, all based on whatever my husband was interested in.</p><p>So for a couple of years as kids after we returned to the U.S., we learned to do cartwheels and run around the yard, visit the other kids' homes within walking distance, and be home before dark to set the table and help mom with dinner preparations like that, and clean up. Sometimes chores covered mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, picking up the rotten apples in the autumn, etc. Good work indeed.</p><p>NOW that I'm working basically mostly freelance from my home studio, I get to visit with girlfriends, and wonder of wonders, every time I go see someone we DO STUFF! We GO PLACES! It's so much FUN! </p><p>All these years I've visited my mother's home we basically sit and stay put. She talks, we listen. She has some truly great stories to tell, such as when she danced with a king at one of the events.... When we went to visit my grandparents once we were closer to adult age, it was similar, Gammy did all the cooking (she was an excellent cook) and we sat and listened to the other grown-ups talking on the porch. Occasionally Gammy would let us do the dishes in her big old farm sink, though they lived by a river, not on a farm, and I LOVED being able to do that! She had a stool I could stand on to reach it and I liked washing her dishes in the soapy water, while my sister dried, but most of the time she wanted to do the water thing while I dried. Nonetheless, we could hear the grown-ups talking and laughing on the back porch, which was just off the kitchen and it was happy times.</p><p>So now, I don't have a lot of time to visit with friends, as I'm always busy doing stuff in my studio (reading, writing, and drawing, you guessed it!), but occasionally I do get to visit, and wow, it's such a SURPRISE! I've been to artist's homes where they invite me into their studio and we spend a few hours making something unique and lovely! WOOT! And some of my nature loving friends get together with me and we go hiking or to a farmer's market and come home with lots of edible LOOT! WOOT!</p><p>I also have one special friend who's born and raised close to here, and knows the WHOLE territory and MOST of the people who've lived around here for years and years and she takes me on adventures where I get to visit and meet people I'd never know about otherwise (a complete pleasure), and she takes me to places I'd never know existed around here that are really beautiful, and sometimes we play in her art studio and talk up a storm the whole time. FUN!</p><p>I have clients who come to my home to work with me on commissioned pieces of art for their Lovies and that's one of my favorite things to do. Yep, we have snacks, and tea or coffee or water or wine, and yep, we talk up a storm, while we work on the designs together, which is LOADS of fun. </p><p>I think I finally understand what socializing can be like. You don't just go sit glued to a chair, you DO STUFF together! Who knew?!</p><p>I didn't know I didn't really know how to do this until it occurred to me the other day that I've been working so hard for so many years I didn't realize my focus was totally on accomplishment, and I'd left out the magic that can happen when you just go have some fun <i>with</i> somebody.</p><p>So now that hubby's retiring, I'm having fun building in a little fun that is NOT related to work. Who knew life could be this way?</p><p>I think I like it. A LOT.</p><p>It's very strange growing up "an Exxon brat," always the "new kid on the block," and hauling around these behaviors that other kids haven't had to develop, (similar to military families who are constantly moving), and I'm so delighted to be discovering this, even if it is a bit late. Hey, better late than never, eh?</p><p>The catalyst for this realization was, among a few other things, reading John Denver's autobiography, called <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Take-Home-Autobiography-John-Denver/dp/1495958760/ref=sr_1_2?crid=26QBJRLVHCQIE&keywords=john+denver+take+me+home&qid=1684997726&s=books&sprefix=john+denver+take+me+home%2Cstripbooks%2C116&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Take Me Home</a>, </i>which turned on some lightbulbs when I saw so many similarities in his father's military career, his mother's devotion to his father's career, and his own reclusive behaviors (music, tree climbing, dreaming, and reflection) plus the very familiar urge to keep on moving because that's familiar. It's what we know intimately from a very young age.</p><p>I'm a bit envious of people who "belong." For me, home is everywhere I make it. For others it's always been something known. I find this fascinating and love to hear stories from people who are born and raised somewhere. So many of those stories are so very sweet and heartwarming.</p><p>What's your experience of socialization when you were growing up? Do share your stories! I just LOVE a good story!</p><p>Love and hugs,</p><p>~Jen</p><p>LITTLE UPDATE - I need to express my heartfelt thanks to all in my current community who've surrounded us with good wishes and many truly amazing and much appreciated recommendations as Rob and I go through our "year of collecting quotes on home renovation." WOW. So many people have referred their friends, family in the businesses, and experiences to us, and I feel that after some 26 years in this community we're enfolded, accepted, and loved. Thank you so much from the old new kid on the block XO!</p><p> </p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-13746435357889486952023-05-12T23:25:00.008-07:002023-06-14T00:59:38.630-07:00Yes, WOW, the SHOW!!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLTHDGaPMH4wk5g1c6z1aZUrOu14A6pvNhfwfmNfOKaeS6W3eBEirrkNZfcIRaA2hLx7fXxSH__ELcQsZSTbedmcRDk-WJjepr1SOLHhksTVCoI8SOKkmUN9ldYxjiZmvOeSWedbRl2sM3TS2V1QuTriEMsMkzvW1xWMSc6njIzvFbUJpwc4Va9LgLqw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2304" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLTHDGaPMH4wk5g1c6z1aZUrOu14A6pvNhfwfmNfOKaeS6W3eBEirrkNZfcIRaA2hLx7fXxSH__ELcQsZSTbedmcRDk-WJjepr1SOLHhksTVCoI8SOKkmUN9ldYxjiZmvOeSWedbRl2sM3TS2V1QuTriEMsMkzvW1xWMSc6njIzvFbUJpwc4Va9LgLqw" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kind of phallic eh? Yep, that's where life "comes" from.<br />No pun intended, but sweet and amusing nonetheless.<br />Photo by Sweet Jess<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The SHOW at <a href="https://framingstatecollege.com/" target="_blank">State College Framing Company and Gallery</a> was WONDERFUL for so many reasons!!<p></p><p>I'll put up some photos of my part here, and will post some more of the partee itself, which was so much fun, and wow I met so many wonderful people plus saw some I hadn't seen for quite a while, especially during the Covid times.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKdBYb_A2YOHtpROxu0PnX5Hsy5SFxhlR8CWx2qaf_XFrBLV6AEf_8q0Yzl3autusRdXb8A3CdJ-Rdi11iMBcFmt99ndYA-4se9790X3Ph7Bpr3FoqbyYYC1wa6oduXZVttRnIL3XLoBqQbY06Zx2Z2P631mjfXNpZWj2v0OvfvgMol03MKvtz7yubsw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKdBYb_A2YOHtpROxu0PnX5Hsy5SFxhlR8CWx2qaf_XFrBLV6AEf_8q0Yzl3autusRdXb8A3CdJ-Rdi11iMBcFmt99ndYA-4se9790X3Ph7Bpr3FoqbyYYC1wa6oduXZVttRnIL3XLoBqQbY06Zx2Z2P631mjfXNpZWj2v0OvfvgMol03MKvtz7yubsw" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica's Introduction Wall <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We had several artists exhibiting at the same time, plus two book authors doing signings, so the audience was mixed and there was so MUCH for them to experience. It was a really nice exhibit because the audience really did mix and they really did look at all the magnificent creations and the talk, as I experienced it, was largely related to the various sections of the exhibit, which is refreshing, as I've been to gallery shows in California where all they talked about was themselves or gossip around town and no one looked at the ART!</span></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj91bIo-KjimqmEnfcYJ9hu8Kzxv2tbXU9HZixsC6KHwJbFPuQeGGRKmm8vRtqRWeKpTjznRNxGUdAsOKpp9FENLNU1HA6xDr0xLaexZ8xe4KjTZPtSXYg1Najq5uCi-Kalg7Ar04NTijYg35Ej9gutLg8jJ6-NYb85AJBhFI4wCosO-uonUDwpE8O6jA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj91bIo-KjimqmEnfcYJ9hu8Kzxv2tbXU9HZixsC6KHwJbFPuQeGGRKmm8vRtqRWeKpTjznRNxGUdAsOKpp9FENLNU1HA6xDr0xLaexZ8xe4KjTZPtSXYg1Najq5uCi-Kalg7Ar04NTijYg35Ej9gutLg8jJ6-NYb85AJBhFI4wCosO-uonUDwpE8O6jA" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd wall walking through Jess's photo exhibit.</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jessica's photos are interesting. What was fascinating was talking with people viewing them and hearing their interpretations. The one on the left is a very powerful image of a woman in chains, red and black. When I was working at the Gallery with Jeff, who helped me choose the frames, he said, "I think most of us know what it feels like to be chained in some way," and I said, "Yep, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc4t4bWdiDI" target="_blank">Tears for Fears</a> has a song about that and it has always been very special to me." We agreed that we both just love Tears for Fears. If you're not familiar with their music, definitely check it out.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then later I was talking with a woman who decided to buy a print of that photo. She described to me that to her it means "freedom in motion." And it was fascinating to me that she could feel freedom despite the chains, but she said, you see the movement...she's not trapped, she's moving, and expressing who she is in that moment, not necessarily trapped or forced at all. Wow, I loved hearing that interpretation, especially as the quote that was chosen from Jess's books to go with this photo is, "We're just spirits be-in human." Jess taught me so many things in our book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Celestial-Jess-Afterlife-Messages/dp/1958729426/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Q8WQ8Y3KGCS1&keywords=Letters+from+Celestial+Jess%2C+Afterlife+Messages+from+My+Daughter&qid=1682300118&s=books&sprefix=letters+from+celestial+jess%2C+afterlife+messages+from+my+daughter%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Letters from Celestial Jess, Afterlife Messages from My Daughter</a></i>.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each of the photos in the exhibit has a quote to go with it from one of the books, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Coming+Alive+after+Death%2C+Recovery+from+Grief&i=stripbooks&crid=JI16HDNJFS0X&sprefix=coming+alive+after+death%2C+recovery+from+grief%2Cstripbooks%2C105&ref=nb_sb_noss" target="_blank"><i>Coming Alive after Death, Recovery from Grief,</i></a> and <i>Letters from Celestial Jess,</i> rather than a simple "image title." So going through the exhibit is rather inspiring as you read the quotes and view the world through her eyes, as well as your own. Who knows what stories the images will tell?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It'll be up through about the first week of June or so. Go explore the Gallery, best ever place in town for framing and special photo needs. Thank you to John McQueary, and Jeff, and Kevin for your guidance and talents. I'll be back for more project work on the book illustrations. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">THANK YOU to all who attended and all who took the time to chat with me and buy our books, and all the other wonderful artists, I felt in such good company!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Namaste,</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">~Jen</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> </p></blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><br /></p><br /><p><br /> </p><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-79178267443272719742023-03-24T21:12:00.013-07:002023-06-14T00:55:58.435-07:00Come and See The SHOW!!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLnO6Cqj2VtIGwtM7BsfoLXp-t_Drw114DakyHLWKgyDstZYq4dabjFryOqtlOUHdGxCcvWhb7-L8tbo6ec1-KWv5NKtzLlllRh_MHLNljron-2IXFMbe3M-vhWjDAyDaaLpkrztX6wF24LG70kOTGE6o997QZvFzTHH9TbLzgAMG0Whp0jRDizN5KQ/s3872/DSC_5119GodbeamsRoad.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLnO6Cqj2VtIGwtM7BsfoLXp-t_Drw114DakyHLWKgyDstZYq4dabjFryOqtlOUHdGxCcvWhb7-L8tbo6ec1-KWv5NKtzLlllRh_MHLNljron-2IXFMbe3M-vhWjDAyDaaLpkrztX6wF24LG70kOTGE6o997QZvFzTHH9TbLzgAMG0Whp0jRDizN5KQ/s320/DSC_5119GodbeamsRoad.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Godbeams by Jessica Novak</td></tr></tbody></table>Sometimes we have the good fortune to witness something reeeeeeally beautiful, and if we have our camera in our hands we can capture it and share it, this moment in time. My daughter did just that, ALL THE TIME! She was a professional photographer, and when she passed in 2015, I inherited her legacy. It was several months before I knew it. I'd inherited her computer and several external hard drives and I was so in shock over her passing that I couldn't look at them until many months after she'd gone back to True Home. When I did look, I found myself absolutely mesmerized by the beauty of her photos, thousands of them. <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzydWsCJTRMM6dB_ECR6Sh1JfHNOSbL-UGLee86L09E0zIuGKGXV0Ko-pQbAhAz7LrY_2xnffHtTWPDzQmaYVDM7DAVhytPgkb1i7FpcCTSdRpmOGyDYWglRGVJcjjMZnAgSklVD7xi5LJ3YNzCC5qdkmRHLjgcyt18VQqRzHi9w45jwWJ2zrXB-zrw/s2922/z23100_2751-1AndesHoldingThePlaneUp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2922" data-original-width="2192" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzydWsCJTRMM6dB_ECR6Sh1JfHNOSbL-UGLee86L09E0zIuGKGXV0Ko-pQbAhAz7LrY_2xnffHtTWPDzQmaYVDM7DAVhytPgkb1i7FpcCTSdRpmOGyDYWglRGVJcjjMZnAgSklVD7xi5LJ3YNzCC5qdkmRHLjgcyt18VQqRzHi9w45jwWJ2zrXB-zrw/s320/z23100_2751-1AndesHoldingThePlaneUp.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Andes mountains from above.</td></tr></tbody></table>Jess traveled all over the world, first on long, long hiking and camping trips here in beautiful Pennsylvania, then all across the U.S. on a road trip, with a couple of trips to Brazil and Mendoza, in Argentina, South America, and wherever she went, her camera was like an extension of her body. She was never without it.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-T-ssvHtNJ4_lyU2tMLJEq-9gbi6Zh30s9gS8LXJvNbmiD8D5sj3DoZ58B9Rwkbsegrw0G7SwPQye0kichRQQL-HjyRgQ_OFurB5yjw1X3c0hc1v4lxjWoCujyvzr_L_r8FG2kowk0m4dK1yKfN7XqVRJwbUBS8bVViRt--jeBjpMRMecqcjPEaKrw/s4500/zz87Sullivan%20Run%2010w.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-T-ssvHtNJ4_lyU2tMLJEq-9gbi6Zh30s9gS8LXJvNbmiD8D5sj3DoZ58B9Rwkbsegrw0G7SwPQye0kichRQQL-HjyRgQ_OFurB5yjw1X3c0hc1v4lxjWoCujyvzr_L_r8FG2kowk0m4dK1yKfN7XqVRJwbUBS8bVViRt--jeBjpMRMecqcjPEaKrw/s320/zz87Sullivan%20Run%2010w.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sullivan Run, PA.</td></tr></tbody></table>Nothing was too big or too small to capture her attention. She was an observer. And a teacher. A lover, and a seeker. A free spirit, not to be confined, always moving, always dancing, always celebrating the beauties of life, and sometimes a witness to the tragedies, but never capturing them without hope.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DMhEd2GB5AXTJhnzuKZ2fci9EzGdaIF5yyBFCDESL0TFg9BGsSDUl1wKvjfIKIUvckX27kxq8fKC1Q3Oq2YfGlQpMgM0Ij5EqdQo53fhqYEZSpcSjPTKoV2T1jRDaJRbZSaOnBSFH2eefxijNZ_JWmj3L8If81PaK4Q5lUluza1wdWCzlCnh0rmGSw/s3872/DSC_3219Desiderata.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DMhEd2GB5AXTJhnzuKZ2fci9EzGdaIF5yyBFCDESL0TFg9BGsSDUl1wKvjfIKIUvckX27kxq8fKC1Q3Oq2YfGlQpMgM0Ij5EqdQo53fhqYEZSpcSjPTKoV2T1jRDaJRbZSaOnBSFH2eefxijNZ_JWmj3L8If81PaK4Q5lUluza1wdWCzlCnh0rmGSw/s320/DSC_3219Desiderata.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html" target="_blank">Desiderata</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>This photo that she took is a great example of her observance of humanity's violence surrounded by the peace and promise of sweet Nature. She got very deep sometimes, with just one single, simple image. This one speaks volumes to me. I can hear the gunshots, and feel the crazed drunkenness of the shooter(s) protesting the limitations of their lives. I can also feel the steady, innocent, sweet growth of the soft ferns, one of Earth's oldest plants, surrounding it. Embracing it. Eventually they'll cover it. Eventually the sign and its violence will deteriorate and Earth will win with her beauty and her growth.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPar_iMa2sB-tITqmx3QwJL9Zqj4Ff9E9mlDch2QqvYCfN3AZpJzdibdR7MAUVhQDoFaVHNuvkwsy_kTaFk0RDbGgRslO_kdcUZYdZb9H2LCDmHkOYO3qb-3eE4VptvQwTrhUFpiv3AFb2OBTQ7YUpdbII3ZvVc3Q8ZDYInk-Z1-QKxONw4AcZzQCz2w/s3072/101_1275.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPar_iMa2sB-tITqmx3QwJL9Zqj4Ff9E9mlDch2QqvYCfN3AZpJzdibdR7MAUVhQDoFaVHNuvkwsy_kTaFk0RDbGgRslO_kdcUZYdZb9H2LCDmHkOYO3qb-3eE4VptvQwTrhUFpiv3AFb2OBTQ7YUpdbII3ZvVc3Q8ZDYInk-Z1-QKxONw4AcZzQCz2w/s320/101_1275.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Promise of Life Unfolding</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So I sat, looking through her photos and thought to myself, <i>Wow, these should not be left hidden, never to be seen. They're way too beautiful. </i>And I wasn't sure what I would do, but that is when the desire to do an exhibit of her photos was born. Welp, we're there! It's happening! WOOT!!!! Some of my favorite people where I live are the ones who are connected to art. And recently I received an invitation from John McQueary, the owner of <a href="https://framingstatecollege.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwlPWgBhDHARIsAH2xdNesb482ZYmlVS9khRSrv5Pl7oSIZwcif7uupnGwV77BfBRyv3lJ-XUaAjgsEALw_wcB" target="_blank">The State College Framing Company and Gallery</a>, to host an exhibit of my late daughter's photos.</div><div><br /></div><div>His timing couldn't have been more PERFECT. So I jumped at the chance to share some of the beauty my daughter captured so that you can enjoy it too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Welp, WOW, I had no idea WHAT I was getting into. I've done shows of my own work, beadwork, artwork, etc. but I'd never done anything FOR someone else, especially when they're not here in person to say yea or nay to decisions made. Soon after I accepted his invitation, I began to look through her photos to choose which to frame and display, which to enlarge, and made the first appointment to see John to start planning. In between the time of the appointment and the planning stages of this show, I sat up until dawn several times looking through thousands of her photos, trying to choose which ones to share. Oh my gosh! It was hard to whittle it down to just a few! She had pop-art, she had graffiti, she had waterfalls, landscapes, plants, sky, animals, birds, just EVERYTHING! WOW! </div><div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rdmdwU69LbQF_wQHioMzXhFRxjJLC549g4YLspssPvQI1k-oKDUeYS1Mzgzx5Gmx-h_BfXhrgYu4DHelIOGCMu1yfK6Zz94FSVI8xIB6gl7bA2PsHLxqj7clZ-2XdEuJoWXOaa8QffekGcykJxBNYAtBP_wQ-YE_9G5db3z0iHXzurrBhvA4RMaL7g/s3872/PortlandDSC_5564AllOfTheAbove.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3872" data-original-width="2592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rdmdwU69LbQF_wQHioMzXhFRxjJLC549g4YLspssPvQI1k-oKDUeYS1Mzgzx5Gmx-h_BfXhrgYu4DHelIOGCMu1yfK6Zz94FSVI8xIB6gl7bA2PsHLxqj7clZ-2XdEuJoWXOaa8QffekGcykJxBNYAtBP_wQ-YE_9G5db3z0iHXzurrBhvA4RMaL7g/s320/PortlandDSC_5564AllOfTheAbove.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We can go anywhere!</td></tr></tbody></table>So the first hardest thing about getting ready for this show was c h o o s i n g. I hope I've done a good job and it'll be fun for you to see. I've chosen close to 30 of her photos that will be framed or enlarged as canvas wraps (you can pop a frame on those if you choose or hang them as they are), and will have a portfolio of additional images you can choose to have prints made from, any size you like, PLUS we'll have a digital photo frame showing about 200 of her gorgeous images for your entertainment. If you're not familiar with digital photo frames check them out, they're a true delight in your home. Also make a great Christmas present if you load them up with family photos and such.</div><div><br /></div><div>The second hardest thing was choosing the titles for the photos. I listened, as I always do, to the guidance that comes when I'm feeling quiet and peaceful, and I felt nudged to go open the books I've written about our experience - life with Jess, her sickness and passing, which was totally DEVASTATING to me for a number of years and my RECOVERY, which DID happen and continues to happen each and every day and night, along with her guidance and love and abiding presence, though it's different now. Softer. But the love that comes with her presence is intense, and so, so beautiful. Wonder if she'll show up on show night and mess with the lights, I'd laugh right out loud if she did!! She just might, she's still quite spunky and has quite the sense of humor. But she'd never do anything to frighten anyone. They play with our technologies you know, the spirits, because electricity runs on a very high vibration, like they do, so they can easily connect. There are hundreds of stories from bereaved people about how their lights flicker, and by my troth, I SWEAR, JUST NOW, my light started flickering in my studio (where I'm writing this) like mad crazy. Welp, I got up and got a new light bulb and changed it, but, isn't it just a bit curious that it would flicker now, while I'm writing about her show? Giggles on that.</div><div><br /></div><div>So with the titles I felt compelled to go to the books I've written - <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Alive-After-Death-Recovery/dp/1736384511/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KICUGAJ495V5&keywords=coming+alive+after+death+recovery+from+grief&qid=1679716351&s=books&sprefix=coming+alive+after+death+recovery+from+grief%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Coming Alive After Death, Recovery from Grief</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Celestial-Jess-Afterlife-Messages/dp/1958729426/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HHX1FSTSA9VC&keywords=letters+from+celestial+jess+afterlife+messages+from+my+daughter&qid=1679716420&s=books&sprefix=letters+from+celestial+jess+afterlife+messages+from+my+daughter%2Cstripbooks%2C95&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Letters from Celestial Jess, Afterlife Messages from My Daughter</a></i>, and choose some quotes, either directly from Jess or from what I've learned from her during this journey of life, and I matched the quotes with her images. I think we pretty much did this together. I truly feel we still work together, though it's not quite as I might have imagined had she not passed when she did.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1eKmRnmrfdfBUn2FPq4joHsZxIRkDwgLQcsif3UXEh1muDGmECWbj8-TqduaanRzvE-59wdWRsf_UYwckNAqDbwezhl1m2NXOsNznvmHt0G9LMecZo-hpL2WcyhBmVLcou2KC0ghHdpyglUGi7_cNnLcMoJ8WbpLg8iBoclfeYWs9Fr0PbJUYndr6w/s3800/z6DSC_1390-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="3800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1eKmRnmrfdfBUn2FPq4joHsZxIRkDwgLQcsif3UXEh1muDGmECWbj8-TqduaanRzvE-59wdWRsf_UYwckNAqDbwezhl1m2NXOsNznvmHt0G9LMecZo-hpL2WcyhBmVLcou2KC0ghHdpyglUGi7_cNnLcMoJ8WbpLg8iBoclfeYWs9Fr0PbJUYndr6w/s320/z6DSC_1390-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We go up and we go down, up and down, like life.</td></tr></tbody></table>Jess has been nothing but purely inspirational in all she's taught me both during her life here on Earth and afterwards. I hope the show will reflect that for you too. Inspiration and celebration of all good things and appreciation and insight and trust that the bad things are but stepping stones to the good ones.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT4QC69w28PXbCbW5cWEKmDQ917UTyPwWCHVtevHHLP3Acr7DF9GiV8LBet4OIQuaVAsBevr1GvEGO2n_N3P_WYHQXvAiJtOjU-E6iTZydPK6ERnRUBNWqFXUBPFArcj5FNdnfra8j53tvpUCTEyqdgOBsO2r8gmrTD_0M_oAsovPEVTYMl35tkDMQw/s1936/DSC_0058.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1936" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT4QC69w28PXbCbW5cWEKmDQ917UTyPwWCHVtevHHLP3Acr7DF9GiV8LBet4OIQuaVAsBevr1GvEGO2n_N3P_WYHQXvAiJtOjU-E6iTZydPK6ERnRUBNWqFXUBPFArcj5FNdnfra8j53tvpUCTEyqdgOBsO2r8gmrTD_0M_oAsovPEVTYMl35tkDMQw/s320/DSC_0058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My girl doing some of her favorite things, phone, wine, cigs, writing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>I do nothing by myself, and am so appreciative of the guidance of John McQueary, Jeffrey Muthersbaugh, and Kevin Reilly at <a href="https://framingstatecollege.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwlPWgBhDHARIsAH2xdNdZEizc7BOWRhgeLJ-1Y0KtYtcxDXQdwJD9e0TIOhPAaicmtQTahLAaAnK3EALw_wcB" target="_blank">The State College Framing Company and Gallery</a>, as well as Peggy and Mark at M&M Copy Services in Bellefonte, who helped me design the bookmarks and takeaway cards that will be available for free!</div><div><br /></div><div>Setting up a show is a process, as Kevin explained to me, and I'm so excited to see it come to fruition and for you to experience it. Several other beloved artists will also be in the spotlight, including:</div><div><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr">Jennifer Tucker and Gerry Lang - photography<br />Lena Thynell - Watercolor<br />Susan Nicholas Gephart - Pastels and Oils<br />Elli Groninger - sculpture<br />Laveta Piemme - author and jeweler - <br />Jennifer Berghage - author and jeweler<br />Jess Novak - photography</div></blockquote><p>Come and see us April 22nd (Earth Day!), from 4-7 to enjoy wine and snacks and hugs or air-hugs, and soak up a wonderful experience. Exhibits run through June 24th if you have other plans or are feeling a bit Covid-ish.</p><p>Note: Laveta's book is one that EVERYONE can benefit from HUGELY! It's called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Peaceful-Eye-Hurricane-Alternative-Caregivers/dp/1952081408" target="_blank">The Peaceful Eye of the Hurricane</a>, and I for one, am loving it and CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HER! </p><p>All the loves to you! Thank you for your patience with my absence from social media as I set all this up! Stay in touch XO!</p><p>Namaste</p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-26337395651908893342023-01-09T17:20:00.013-08:002023-01-09T18:17:27.675-08:00Honor and Celebration of Sweet Jess on Cupcake Day 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7sS7_NThX_UeQvHMECSqJCHBHTesYCBnOXJLTm8bYsCF0aoU7r4QuklI46MmeCQJmHX8aa9lqgC3O7aZNlAAVG3o1ck2kXQVZDN0hQgk_fX0zMzK-kdunYpKTR0fzO3dkP_khnlOgag11bAAFTgiuS1r5nfNVRYOQY8ttHqRzLAPvvERIzPJEsPvMA/s3872/z9F200_EAGLE_CREEK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7sS7_NThX_UeQvHMECSqJCHBHTesYCBnOXJLTm8bYsCF0aoU7r4QuklI46MmeCQJmHX8aa9lqgC3O7aZNlAAVG3o1ck2kXQVZDN0hQgk_fX0zMzK-kdunYpKTR0fzO3dkP_khnlOgag11bAAFTgiuS1r5nfNVRYOQY8ttHqRzLAPvvERIzPJEsPvMA/s320/z9F200_EAGLE_CREEK.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fern at Eagle Creek by Jessica Melinda Novak</div><div><br /></div>So today is Cupcake Day again. It's been a gorgeous, peaceful day, and we've been blessed with some much welcome sunshine, which is rare in what has become what I call "State College Seattle," with all the clouds and rain and wet and mold and lack of sunshine. For someone who spent many years in my beloved California, the sunshine state, it never gets easy going without that golden light, so when it comes wow, I just love it. Especially today.<p></p><p>On this Cupcake Day I'm celebrating the life of my daughter, who was a professional photographer while she was here, and so the first photo I'm sharing is her observation and capture of the lovely fern above, which is like a smile and embrace all in one from our mother, Earth. Nothing was too small for Jess's notice, nothing too big. This one I will have printed and framed and I will hang it in my studio, in celebration of all that is beautiful, and in celebration of seeing the world for a moment through the eyes of my child, who is now a Celestial being, as we all shall be someday, when the time is right.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-6q5b3-mu9E1RwG0zAeqLoPXkymOKSnNW9Mk8ZF2ZS0UGTqj-9cAhqNtzJshSMIys1PnY0NhJ-aeZgcVg2v3FDVu-GfDcF51uUgFf4ZZ76rQ8ClRvR16OOlyZ09_bImVWl7ahdfqQ52_7wFWaZ1F4rfhc9iPv_qFp_AMH9Gpli2dxhuwgkf9QdAq1g/s3072/1AAAz17F001_MARY_S._YOUNG_STATE_PARK%20copy%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2244" data-original-width="3072" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-6q5b3-mu9E1RwG0zAeqLoPXkymOKSnNW9Mk8ZF2ZS0UGTqj-9cAhqNtzJshSMIys1PnY0NhJ-aeZgcVg2v3FDVu-GfDcF51uUgFf4ZZ76rQ8ClRvR16OOlyZ09_bImVWl7ahdfqQ52_7wFWaZ1F4rfhc9iPv_qFp_AMH9Gpli2dxhuwgkf9QdAq1g/s320/1AAAz17F001_MARY_S._YOUNG_STATE_PARK%20copy%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My ever so favorite photo that Jess took.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So while I was pulling together the photos for this post, this one (above) came up on my computer, which shows her approval and happiness for today, for my celebration of her life, and for the beauty in our world, which is all around us. It is my very favorite photo that she took, so absolutely perfect. I did have this one blown up and framed it at <a href="https://framingstatecollege.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAk--dBhABEiwAchIwkf39N3rbJTkmfHX1IJc7L57_xGRQuSJQM0VGI8XGarMMTXRgq4g2EhoCFaMQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">State College Framing Company</a>. They did a great job and it makes me smile and fills me with love every time I look at it in our home.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5k-inVhDyoi9_ASuJ4L2V5k0ak6HPYDeS6g8ZB6CBg-_sfT7Ul57HK5o_5Ydph--m7BqsMYG6_WGC4gPx77iQBRaxlk1ZVx_59PXlEa8rJ15ps0Iw3lmtv0N7o2UnfDj3pjT4UHci2uOyCUG2vvq4Gt_3RwaSOUmytipVy4-lOW5505sFO8XHs8h3g/s3872/159_EAGLE_CREEK.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5k-inVhDyoi9_ASuJ4L2V5k0ak6HPYDeS6g8ZB6CBg-_sfT7Ul57HK5o_5Ydph--m7BqsMYG6_WGC4gPx77iQBRaxlk1ZVx_59PXlEa8rJ15ps0Iw3lmtv0N7o2UnfDj3pjT4UHci2uOyCUG2vvq4Gt_3RwaSOUmytipVy4-lOW5505sFO8XHs8h3g/s320/159_EAGLE_CREEK.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another photo Jess captured at Eagle Creek in Portland, Oregon.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>I have a folder called "Jess's Green Photos," and it's composed of some of the Nature shots she took on her road trips and hikes. Soooooo beautiful. This is one (above) that is so satisfying to look at because of the composure of ferns, the delicacy of them, the softness, and I especially like it because behind the fern is the darkness. We all work to balance the light with the dark, and she <i>knew</i> that, and liked to capture images that depicted it. It's within and around us all. It's our challenge in life, to find the <i>balance</i> and <i>acceptance</i> of both the light and the dark.<div><br /></div><div>And here's another one. This one always pulls my heartstrings, very powerful image.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUMg_r8NJz6Kmt6MGdsoIllXdEt_uPM2vFXU3YU6Fe9nCd1zmBSItS4aN2k3mBHjORmKjWEI_te151Xlpp2ytfR0QyEwwyytOP17kJsl2sFSpYTP8WjHtYbLwpBf1L8suH_76MJDOFFXb60084kbI66GeIEtUbamPNiSRgM2POxmzhj2k_kwq3n8FwA/s960/525391_10151309358337202_1230391080_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUMg_r8NJz6Kmt6MGdsoIllXdEt_uPM2vFXU3YU6Fe9nCd1zmBSItS4aN2k3mBHjORmKjWEI_te151Xlpp2ytfR0QyEwwyytOP17kJsl2sFSpYTP8WjHtYbLwpBf1L8suH_76MJDOFFXb60084kbI66GeIEtUbamPNiSRgM2POxmzhj2k_kwq3n8FwA/s320/525391_10151309358337202_1230391080_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh so poignant.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>This image that Jess took pulls my heartstrings because she captured innocence and trust facing adversity. That is us, isn't it? And when the sun comes out tomorrow, many of these blossoms will still be thriving, yet others will be gone....</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing I decided to do today for this post was open our book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Celestial-Jess-Afterlife-Messages/dp/1958729426/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RYCCFUSFW0R9&keywords=letters+from+celestial+jess&qid=1673313994&s=books&sprefix=letters+from+celestial+jess%2Cstripbooks%2C99&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Letters to Celestial Jess, Afterlife Messages from My Daughter,</a> </i>and see where I land. I knew she would put me at just the right place for us all. And I landed on page 181, where she tells me "Trust the process Momma," and she's talking about the process of LIFE itself. I've learned to do this, and it's so wonderful, though sometimes we don't understand it or "trust" it when crazy things are happening. As we progress through our lives and Earth adventures we realize that we are exactly where we're supposed to be for what we need to experience, age helps to bring about that wisdom. Her advice, as usual, is right on target. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mn27QrSx_TDGaRgyaSBlYMEcXmkQMaU35myAl02wtBT31EY9IGkM12Ex-P_83xFq4KNt7q1m-KkhS-kbNJslG_cPmtwvVZlo3j-1HnRSWzNNh-FoUrHSITKW3OhIcwDu_TL4iGzEedb0G-I1UReKyTOgTu0OO3n3CnIwod6z176mx4Fzqo068iiLFg/s4032/IMG_3833.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mn27QrSx_TDGaRgyaSBlYMEcXmkQMaU35myAl02wtBT31EY9IGkM12Ex-P_83xFq4KNt7q1m-KkhS-kbNJslG_cPmtwvVZlo3j-1HnRSWzNNh-FoUrHSITKW3OhIcwDu_TL4iGzEedb0G-I1UReKyTOgTu0OO3n3CnIwod6z176mx4Fzqo068iiLFg/s320/IMG_3833.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's okay.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I've come to realize that with this "gone-ness" of beloveds gone to True Home, it's okay. It truly IS okay. There's something right and good about it. We <i>come</i> from True Home, we go <i>back</i> to True Home, however we define that, and there, we go <i>on</i> to have life and adventures that boggle our limited human capacity to envision or understand. So we celebrate her life and adventures both here and where she is now with a little cupcake, a song, and some celebratory Cupcake wine. I'm sure she's with us when we do this, pouring her love into us all. XO!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwGDF-MIEabxap8soraRAKbglFiVZKoMT7qOBPMCPxPk-ybMp5IqSh5T_-78aQcqId3GGOxEM0GV4KdcaTfs-483xEWp4ePylcEycb7uQmF_WcVlAvMMM5XfaTm6D7FaxZRCNy2Dhj59DXbADND6R93sT04gCuQ3wwGwSfFOyRutdCTtV0SLGASZG-g/s2256/DSC_0375.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2256" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwGDF-MIEabxap8soraRAKbglFiVZKoMT7qOBPMCPxPk-ybMp5IqSh5T_-78aQcqId3GGOxEM0GV4KdcaTfs-483xEWp4ePylcEycb7uQmF_WcVlAvMMM5XfaTm6D7FaxZRCNy2Dhj59DXbADND6R93sT04gCuQ3wwGwSfFOyRutdCTtV0SLGASZG-g/s320/DSC_0375.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Love doing what she loved best.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Cheers to all on their new journeys. Cheers, comfort, and peace to all still here in our Earth adventures. </div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>May your hearts be filled with the love of your beloveds both here and there and everywhere, and trust in your own adventures and experiences.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Celebrate</i> lives well lived. And continue to celebrate and immerse yourself in your Earth journey with all your heart, because all IS well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>~Jen<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-41867634554057854542022-12-26T01:09:00.016-08:002022-12-26T12:22:00.504-08:00How I Discovered Santa IS Real!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1gag0Jv-09iUYF0Kp2VoGdk9hDTgA9DXxXkNvDxyVhQemNKcNNelLXoQJhTvSg-vhv8iJ7f1uhHEac-DdGfo6F0U003u-hRV2sy9g4f9ePwl1xTK0s37nEOIIFG6xt57DpUF3UHu3KqXVhL0Q7IrhDhRrhWTMQA3P0La1_qNHZl42FtnHvuE0OMw9A/s4032/IMG_3765.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1gag0Jv-09iUYF0Kp2VoGdk9hDTgA9DXxXkNvDxyVhQemNKcNNelLXoQJhTvSg-vhv8iJ7f1uhHEac-DdGfo6F0U003u-hRV2sy9g4f9ePwl1xTK0s37nEOIIFG6xt57DpUF3UHu3KqXVhL0Q7IrhDhRrhWTMQA3P0La1_qNHZl42FtnHvuE0OMw9A/s320/IMG_3765.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nature Santa</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Once upon a time, long ago, (1994), I experienced some things in first marriage that led to a rather large and beneficial fork in the pathway of my life though I didn't know it at the time. I had believed in my little family and <i>all</i> its members, loving them with all my heart, all my tasks, work, play, joys, and sorrows. I was all in.</p><p>But the marriage went belly up.</p><p>OUCH!</p><p>So I set about the motions of divorce just before the holiday season. Goodness, what a list of things to do! Find a house that would be okay for me and for my children, find a job that would support us, figure out what to take with me (typewriter and computer and medical records and some music CDs and a couple of 13" TVs, my books and pictures on the walls, a couch, my car, but not much else). I lost so very much. But I <i>gained</i> so very much, and that was not expected, but I guess Fate had a hand in it, and Destiny too. And that's where the magic begins.</p><p>I started out with $5,000 dollars, no job, and very little else except for my very nice pair of brass balls and a lot of gumption and found a lovely little blue house to rent that was built on the side of a mountain. Evergreen is all mountains and very beautiful, all pine trees, oh so lovely! My kids shared a room. I inhabited a room that was about 8 x 10 feet with a window that of course, had a gorgeous view of the mountains and pines. I put my twin bed in there, bought bunk beds for the kids, and we shared the one closet and one bathroom. It was our safe place. PEACE.</p><p>No chaos, just spaghetti and puzzles and finger paints and hikes all over God's territory in those mountainous parks and it was <i>magic</i> when my kids were with me. The little blue house had a small sun room with floor to ceiling windows on three sides and we LOVED that room! Because in Colorado you get a LOT of sun, though it's not warm most of the time, it's bright and beautiful. So we mostly lived there together with the kids going to their father's weekends and some afternoons or evenings when I was working.</p><p>It started getting close to Christmas, and when I went to pick them up from after school daycare one day, their caretaker asked me if I was "ready for Christmas." Hm. I told her the truth. We had had to "clear" who could pick up the kids at daycare after school so the caretakers knew the situation, and I just mentioned that it would be an interesting Christmas because I couldn't afford a tree or presents this year. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfOxQZh5oHE1T-kXwCRfzfviJRPuevCn2Y3zWSMLeQbrmgOG4UdJD8X13sGIiGJCNqPy0ibzKwdlFuzsyJCp1WZcSl8x7gymTC4iQY5_CSITwHfjtePFYrx6VPUqha-QtLC61GUyFDdZ-iiz0u_jyR7qOeKijEd3gqBJyP0eOSlBTbq8STiVZ_-k0CA/s4032/IMG_3764.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfOxQZh5oHE1T-kXwCRfzfviJRPuevCn2Y3zWSMLeQbrmgOG4UdJD8X13sGIiGJCNqPy0ibzKwdlFuzsyJCp1WZcSl8x7gymTC4iQY5_CSITwHfjtePFYrx6VPUqha-QtLC61GUyFDdZ-iiz0u_jyR7qOeKijEd3gqBJyP0eOSlBTbq8STiVZ_-k0CA/s320/IMG_3764.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa IS real! Read on....</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well, here comes the magic. Around Christmas Eve it was cold and we did have some ice and stormy weather. I had my children for the weekend. We were together for two whole days without work and that was all I cared about mostly, being able to spend time with them. That evening, our doorbell rang. I went to open it and found, to my surprise, my wonderful daycare worker with her strong burly boyfriend standing outside my door with a Christmas tree! WOOT! WOW! They had driven something like an hour through stormy weather to bring this tree to us in the back of his lovely truck!! They brought it in and explained to me that some people they knew were traveling so had done their Christmas early and put their tree on the curb and it was still quite fine, so they brought it to us! WOW! </p><p>They left to get home before the storm got any worse, and I hunkered down with my kids. The fragrance of the tree was fine indeed. I didn't have any decorations, but we did have popcorn and we did have cranberries, so I sat with my kids on the couch and we made popcorn strings and cranberry strings, a silver foil star for the top, and some paper circle chains. It was lovely!</p><p>After they went to bed, I was near to panic about not having any presents for them that first year, but I remembered the stories my grandparents had told me about celebrating during the Great Depression and the war times. During those times they received, if they were verrrry lucky, which they were, oranges and nuts in their stockings and THAT was Christmas. So I went into my kitchen and collected the two oranges I had, and some peanuts and put them into my children's stockings, which I had brought with me from the other home. </p><p>I didn't have enough to put into my stocking. </p><p>So Christmas morning, when we woke up, I had my kids next to me, one on each side of me on the couch. I gave them their stockings and told them the story of my grandparents. My son, so young, said to me, "But Mom, you don't have anything in your stocking!" And he started giving me some of his nuts and orange. Oh my heart melted. Wow. (He's still that way, very insightful and giving.)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFf-96XnIl15nPE5DEx_KcI_5a_a2juSP1wy6qp0yuRfv-q479ofigs6varrJZE6gntlY8VQ8r6E8aorL-0xrqIF8d5h5MgdH1ydJeOQVQf2Xh3MaIDHDDud0tWm3mT2X45N6OTBEXeQ2gzHQ3dQ5Iw2gZVWmKNNgjj3yXn2UVrjuxB8aYilGEfxQNtA/s4032/IMG_3766.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFf-96XnIl15nPE5DEx_KcI_5a_a2juSP1wy6qp0yuRfv-q479ofigs6varrJZE6gntlY8VQ8r6E8aorL-0xrqIF8d5h5MgdH1ydJeOQVQf2Xh3MaIDHDDud0tWm3mT2X45N6OTBEXeQ2gzHQ3dQ5Iw2gZVWmKNNgjj3yXn2UVrjuxB8aYilGEfxQNtA/s320/IMG_3766.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa appears in many forms!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So here's the discovery: I learned a BIG lesson during that time. The SPIRIT of CHRISTMAS and SANTA CLAUS works THROUGH PEOPLE. Just like God. YES, it's VERY REAL INDEED!!!! For us, that year, the spirit of Santa came through the kindness of the daycare worker and her wonderful boyfriend, as well as my son's kindness and generosity. I realized that WE are the channels for this <i>gorgeous</i> expression of <i>giving</i>. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtSaTCFGwVSSeW0bC1TQiHJSaCB9acbmNbajlzGnUir83SdAFka6n_H8Ryf6CsvdL6atNe2eBlwOWorJL_Y-tEgaHL9lQnkLDZmjH_-TwM0qlVwJ-8uQpJ1eiV7PDG4ocPyPxZsjpbvUia1gZ9wkmPlOT31IM7h0WB_u1p82heaGAaw3gST-r8bDRTQ/s4032/IMG_3767.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtSaTCFGwVSSeW0bC1TQiHJSaCB9acbmNbajlzGnUir83SdAFka6n_H8Ryf6CsvdL6atNe2eBlwOWorJL_Y-tEgaHL9lQnkLDZmjH_-TwM0qlVwJ-8uQpJ1eiV7PDG4ocPyPxZsjpbvUia1gZ9wkmPlOT31IM7h0WB_u1p82heaGAaw3gST-r8bDRTQ/s320/IMG_3767.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can be any kind of Santa you want. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>The older I get, the more joy I feel from contributing to those in need and those who truly appreciate what I can share and provide for and with them. </p><p>Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus, and though we might not see him, we can feel his spirit oh so strong and WE can give it wings.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6eja2l8q6tPreohVj-rLa_JkIuxp_qS7qqiQr7QTDrJonEd9tGqcMa2exHqsbM4gJn2_jh2pl0eC8QBWi884Qa9-HKkoMBYNGeuWvB87kdKe4J_p3qaBM9q8yixaZBkwRngW6Ur9kyASajk4KqXH4c3kWlzc7xmqiCArlxu5NjumkC-1OOoQ4aiJ7g/s4032/IMG_3763.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6eja2l8q6tPreohVj-rLa_JkIuxp_qS7qqiQr7QTDrJonEd9tGqcMa2exHqsbM4gJn2_jh2pl0eC8QBWi884Qa9-HKkoMBYNGeuWvB87kdKe4J_p3qaBM9q8yixaZBkwRngW6Ur9kyASajk4KqXH4c3kWlzc7xmqiCArlxu5NjumkC-1OOoQ4aiJ7g/s320/IMG_3763.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa based on an old chocolate mold. Mmmmmm!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We don't have to wear the suit; we don't have to spend a fortune, it's the little things that count the most and sometimes that's being with the people we love and sharing the simple things, as well as telling the stories, the stories of our lives and loves and learnings.<p>Namaste. Many blessings and happy holidays to one and all XO</p><p>~Jen</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-51774843415882702212022-11-12T16:34:00.011-08:002022-12-06T23:09:17.291-08:00Laughing My Ass Off, Hope You Will Too!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVDQr7T835XmdLbGqjDtBE8fM1BaG12Z9PbeJeLc_dspmyaaHjGkIctt-2x6u2BMoIp_Cnuq0Of7vynhmw_s03dVwgz7mnvnFX-Gi9a68P28X39oSfJB68LXIwIlaaBNCdlkel6KydVmxn6efM1CSRg6Ww4ROku57UT9ne7u7AH-rRhqa83P-etMzaA/s4032/IMG_3586.jpeg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVDQr7T835XmdLbGqjDtBE8fM1BaG12Z9PbeJeLc_dspmyaaHjGkIctt-2x6u2BMoIp_Cnuq0Of7vynhmw_s03dVwgz7mnvnFX-Gi9a68P28X39oSfJB68LXIwIlaaBNCdlkel6KydVmxn6efM1CSRg6Ww4ROku57UT9ne7u7AH-rRhqa83P-etMzaA/s320/IMG_3586.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a hilarious story behind this cake, read on....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I've not laughed so loud and so long in many years, but tonight I did. It is so funny I just have to share it with you.<br />
<div><br /></div><div>This is a LOVELY cake. It's what I call my "Dr. Seuss" cake. And here's why:</div></div><div><br /></div><div>My dear brother was born in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Yes, we've lived in many exotic and wondrous places, and this one was very special. A tropical land, where the jungle stole my heart along with what I called "chocolate people" because I was only four years old and I loved the dark skins of the locals, (still do).</div><div><br /></div><div>My Dad was a civil engineer, designing all manner of wondrous things, and he worked not far from Kuala Lumpur, and Petaling Jaya.</div><div><br /></div><div>While we lived there, my mother had "house helpers," who did all kinds of things, more than cleaning, they did cooking and childcare and put out sulphur around the house to kill the anaconda snakes that could eat small children, oh and the cobras too!</div><div><br /></div><div>Our housekeeper was called Ah Ho, and she had hair that reached the ground it was so long, which she washed in a red bucket and my sister and I used to love to watch her wash her hair. She was not young, not old, fairly spry, and very helpful to my mom.</div><div><br /></div><div>So came the time that Mom asked Ah Ho to make a cake. Welp, she did, but Mom wasn't all that specific with instruction, so Aho put the frosting on with a fork. Oh my! That was not done! It was unacceptable indeed! "We ice cakes with a knife and swirl the frosting just so!"</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC67RAacj__rYlx4BkNz3fmv0r3d-HfBffOVNLK91N8WLBGCkWk7mN7D4NQmI9VqzDVMIsa77O5A_yO8T-Abq7aMO4-isiTxO1BArvgQdXCzqQXAelBiH1KLap7Iq2hfH6tsQ119hSK4NAWI22OgIod-LIqUoK22teNXkJEDXSfoa8mS6EyGpqKrhnOg/s4032/IMG_3588.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC67RAacj__rYlx4BkNz3fmv0r3d-HfBffOVNLK91N8WLBGCkWk7mN7D4NQmI9VqzDVMIsa77O5A_yO8T-Abq7aMO4-isiTxO1BArvgQdXCzqQXAelBiH1KLap7Iq2hfH6tsQ119hSK4NAWI22OgIod-LIqUoK22teNXkJEDXSfoa8mS6EyGpqKrhnOg/s320/IMG_3588.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how a cake should look once the frosting is swirled just so.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And if you do a good job, it has all kinds of smooooooth swirls with little tips, all just right, according to my mom's teachings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, tomorrow is my brother's birthday, so I volunteered to make his very favorite chicken, rice, and green bean dinner, along with his ever so very favorite strawberry cake. Now you must understand, he fell in love with strawberry cake when he was just a wee one, and now he's going to be 59! And Mom's 88! And much as I'd love to have a parteee at our house, Mom doesn't go out much anymore, so Dave will celebrate his birthday with her at her home.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I wanted this year to be all about him and all about Mom. His favorite dinner is cooking and I'll deliver it tomorrow, but the cake is another story. </div><div><br /></div><div>My husband usually does the shopping these days, and I put on the list the ingredients for the cake, and he did his level best to bring home all the necessaries. But if you know anything at all about Pillsbury strawberry cake, you know it's got not a lot of real, natural ingredients in it, and it has a verrrry distinct fragrance. We all tease about how many chemicals we're ingesting once a year when we eat it, but it's special because David loves it!</div><div><br /></div><div>So I made the cake mix that my wonderful hubby brought home. I knew the box didn't look right, "all natural ingredients," hmmmmm.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jJdVTjjZA6fVnzEJ3INKIufEV3or5uVZzHGvNZC7W0PU1r7Z_dk0MxXe7xHlDUjND0_xYObFKd9wqw69FYVnKcDt9BMvs6705e13CR_YjXFbKdJX8Us-s9HnofQhMHt6kUKcViZ4-1iuq9IjqNFESeAwlHz8r5dm39bd1Y6RLnhu4_v5En6rqNr6Xw/s4032/IMG_3592.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jJdVTjjZA6fVnzEJ3INKIufEV3or5uVZzHGvNZC7W0PU1r7Z_dk0MxXe7xHlDUjND0_xYObFKd9wqw69FYVnKcDt9BMvs6705e13CR_YjXFbKdJX8Us-s9HnofQhMHt6kUKcViZ4-1iuq9IjqNFESeAwlHz8r5dm39bd1Y6RLnhu4_v5En6rqNr6Xw/s320/IMG_3592.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful, but "all natural ingredients" isn't what my brother fell in love with.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Nope, when I make my brother's cake every year, you can first smell it when you cut the mix open. Then the whole house smells "pink." THEN the whole neighborhood smells PINK, even with all the doors and windows closed! So I said to my husband, "This isn't right. I can't smell it!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Well he is so wonderful. He said to me, "That's all they had, they didn't have Pillsbury, but I'll go to the stores and see if I can find something more fragrant," and off he went. (Who has a husband so willing, so wonderful? I am blessed indeed. He's totally in on the whole thing.) So off he went after telling me we could just toss out this all natural non-fragrant version and try again. I padded outside in the rain with my slipper socks on and tapped on the car window just before he left on his quest for truly chemically laden smelly strawberry cake mix. "Honey," I said, "how about you pick up a couple of butter cream frostings and we can finish off the cake I'm making and you can have half and we'll give the other half away?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Okay!" he said, because he loves cake.</div><div><br /></div><div>So he returned a while longer than I thought it might take him, because he had to go to three stores to find the suitably chemical batter mixture, and though it wasn't Pillsbury, it did promise some artificial ingredients. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6c4qpwmBzcc2acWZTv_UTu1h2TMZP6HC39O8Qk5sJigZzHVwLcaQaILRZiAp-jpQCf57hf5sJea_lV8BkmwcSMCkdLMtjeOxvanEJvBbTLAiY-HrbJXrbFOuI6yb8HQvTaCSfCob2r59nZzyF0XHycZRxpBWXvuOaKsFqX3GiL_L3lE7x7Z1F2lATw/s4032/IMG_3593.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6c4qpwmBzcc2acWZTv_UTu1h2TMZP6HC39O8Qk5sJigZzHVwLcaQaILRZiAp-jpQCf57hf5sJea_lV8BkmwcSMCkdLMtjeOxvanEJvBbTLAiY-HrbJXrbFOuI6yb8HQvTaCSfCob2r59nZzyF0XHycZRxpBWXvuOaKsFqX3GiL_L3lE7x7Z1F2lATw/s320/IMG_3593.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See, the artificial ingredients are what makes this cake sing all over the whole neighborhood!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So I washed all the accoutrements and started again, setting aside the all-natural cake and diving into the real thing. Though it wasn't Pillsbury, it comes a close second, and pretty soon the pink fragrance started wafting through the house the way it should. I wondered whether I should put the fan on so the pups wouldn't be besieged, but they didn't mind it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just a short while later, TA DA! It was a very pink cake, which rose to divine heights just as it should, and I put just the right icing on it, but I was stricken with an IDEA.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>This celebration is all about my brother, his birth, which was in Malaysia, AND the memory of sweet Ah Ho icing my mother's cakes with a FORK. So I will ice this cake with a FORK! I wonder what will happen! How will it come out?!</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Welp, I took a fork and started not swirling, but doing the thing, and YES! It was MARVELOUS! It was FANTABULOUS! It was INSPIRED! Oh my gosh I laughed so hard as I was doing it. </div><div><br /></div><div>And here you have it, my Dr. Seuss/Ah Ho inspired cake, celebrating my brother, the place of his birth, and my sweet mother's challenges living in a different country with different customs and the blending of both.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcnwcYxHygf2BX3L5RbNnD2Z7pAETt0uQWyv5liOtP_a2oFV47GLxLV-OMtbGUjEOfQrhC5AlyAMKke_dHA0oQUZ0Zh-YwlX4hVf-WIRptctlRn2jz6tJn-RofifXvyPbknvt5U2iK3-qyqvTW6LLI0Kb72nBZP4IDt4qCxlV0QbpLlKcjwU4My8XPQ/s4032/IMG_3586.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcnwcYxHygf2BX3L5RbNnD2Z7pAETt0uQWyv5liOtP_a2oFV47GLxLV-OMtbGUjEOfQrhC5AlyAMKke_dHA0oQUZ0Zh-YwlX4hVf-WIRptctlRn2jz6tJn-RofifXvyPbknvt5U2iK3-qyqvTW6LLI0Kb72nBZP4IDt4qCxlV0QbpLlKcjwU4My8XPQ/s320/IMG_3586.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a fork can do to a cake!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I will explain it in his card, and I would hazard a guess they'll both get a hoot out of it and lots of laughter. And I just might always ice my cakes with a fork in honor of my brother, my mother, and the challenges we all encounter, which can bring about much joy indeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's our story for tonight. Sweet blessings to you all and may you always have your cake and eat it too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>~Jen</div><div><br /></div><div> <br /><div><br /></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-72786591100290199422022-09-15T21:55:00.003-07:002022-09-18T16:06:24.387-07:00Comfort Food, Why?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkLabFUyd8aNrHJfWRO29SYbSmSjuolHXKgX5Zbf0zYMBYGlH2uRUwU6mcdyENXYUwNkerzXMvxX1m-bhof3x-JStaCIneMBINqRUWzJhhjTHhvebEMz1gMd5teByFq-iRK4itpI6YmCvdloPDZW5yeah6VBdNRtz0oDyiT4eyimZuhVSKcl20PfejQ/s3024/IMG_3348.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2993" data-original-width="3024" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkLabFUyd8aNrHJfWRO29SYbSmSjuolHXKgX5Zbf0zYMBYGlH2uRUwU6mcdyENXYUwNkerzXMvxX1m-bhof3x-JStaCIneMBINqRUWzJhhjTHhvebEMz1gMd5teByFq-iRK4itpI6YmCvdloPDZW5yeah6VBdNRtz0oDyiT4eyimZuhVSKcl20PfejQ/s320/IMG_3348.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, homemade chicken pot pie <br />is comfort food indeed xo</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I learned a big thing today, or maybe I was just reminded. I will tell you our little story and how it turns out, in case it might be a bit of an eye-opener for you, and helpful in some way. </p><p>My beloved son, who's recently moved to Maryland with his brilliant wife, who's finished her on-site education at Penn State so she can practice law in the U.S., spent a lovely year or so in town while she was in school. She already has her law degree and has been practicing for years in Argentina, but when lawyers trained outside the U.S. move here, they have to supplement their international education of course, and also pass the bar if they choose to practice full-out. So his wife is not only working full-time in a law firm in Maryland now, after securing her credentials yet again, but aiming to pass the New York bar in the next year, go Baby! She's aces, and will do well, I'm sure, though it's one heck of a LOT of work. </p><p>While they were here, we were able to have barbecues and visits and bring them chicken soup when they came down with covid. It was like water to a person coming out of the desert to be able to LOVE them with food and visits after their absence for so long in South America. I <i>need</i> my kids. I <i>need</i> their hugs. I <i>need</i> their love. And I need to <i>actively</i> LOVE them, which I do with these little things like food and visits and beeeautiful, tight hugs, not to mention the pure pleasure of looking into their eyes and seeing their smiles and hearing their stories.</p><p>So they've been out of state for a few weeks as they both settle into new jobs with bright futures. Yes, they're storing some stuff in our basement for a little while, so it's not truly an empty nest yet, lol. Though they're only a few hours away, we have two dogs and traveling overnight or for a few days to visit them is super expensive boarding our two pups, plus my hubby is still teaching at the University, retirement about a year away, so I'm saving up for a visit in the spring, which sometimes seems a very long time away, and very much looking forward to more visits as Maryland is a terrifically fun place with lots to do, plus from there you can visit D.C., where we have more family, and other fine cities with lots to do. </p><p>They had a friend's wedding in town scheduled for a few weeks away, and before they moved out of state, we said to each other, "We'll see you again next month," though I still cried a few tears at having them leave town. "<i>Ciao, ciao!</i>" I said, blowing kisses as they drove away, which we always did, but this was the <i>last</i> time they'd be so close, as they weren't headed to their home in town but their new one three hours away. All good. I am happy they're in the U.S. rather than 5,000 miles away, as they were for eleven years.</p><p>This afternoon I got this news from my Lovie, and I'm so neurotic, it sent me spinning (doesn't take much to do that these days!). I'm an emotional person, perhaps somewhat because I'm female, perhaps because I'm a mother, and perhaps because I'm a mother with a dead daughter. My lens on my worldview is forever altered because of that death. And sometimes I'm not aware of how narrow that lens can become. Thank goodness for small blessings and big hearts.</p><p>Welp, we (me going into happy mother mode) had planned lots of stuff even though it was a quick visit and they said, "Don't do anything special, we're easy guests." They planned to be here on Friday night, quick dinner, quick breakfast Saturday morning, wedding all day/evening Saturday, and back to their home in Maryland on Sunday. I was thrilled to get to see them. I generally just work in my studio a lot, but I went into total MOTHER mode, planning to wash floors with pine sol (just love that stuff) clean bathrooms, put flowers in the spare room where they'd stay, clear out all the "storage dump stuff" we'd allowed to pile up in that spare room, and make BBQ ribs for Torey Friday night (it's his favorite) and chicken for his wife and me (in case we might prefer those to the ribs), and I looked at 26 recipes for breakfast stuff they might like Saturday morning. The anticipation of a visit is half the fun, isn't it?!</p><p>Well the text message I got on my phone today, when we expected them to be here tomorrow, was that Torey's darling wife was suffering allergies and coughing a lot, and she was voice messaging to let us know that and ask if we were afraid of being exposed to something, though she tested negative for covid, and she suggested that perhaps they could stay somewhere else.</p><p>I looked at these events through <i>my</i> "worldview lens" and said to my husband, "They can't stay here. Of course they don't want to! They don't want to stay in the spare room because the <i>last</i> time they stayed there they slept with all the lights on because it was when they came home from Argentina to go with us to Portland to clean out Jessie's apartment (my dead daughter). I have some photos of Sweet Jess in there, and a couple of her very special things, and she stayed in that room when she was home "healing" for four months before she died (though she didn't die in that room) - so it seems to be a sort of "Jessie space," though it isn't a shrine. I have pics of the other kids too, and workout machines and stuff. Though even after I set it up I haven't been able to spend time in there because the first time I did try to spend time on my lovely treadmill I burst into tears remembering all the hugs with Sweet Jess when I tucked her in at night. Total meltdown. It was just too much pain to go in there knowing I could never hug her again or tuck her in or cook for her and stuff. That's my "lens." Still working on it....</p><p>So after I got the text message on my phone I started spinning out and my rather myopic, sensitive heart went places that generally, only I go, because of my history and experience. I felt dizzy, I was fighting off a major panic attack, and was terrified I would lose my son because of the weight, the memories, the all of it here in this house that I perceived they just didn't want to experience. I've had seven years to find/create balance between the weight, the memories, the panic, the helplessness, and the comfort and love of memories both sweet and painful, but my son walked right into it after eleven years away and those awful nights they stayed here in shock before we all went to do what needed to be done in Portland, where her home was and where she died. They were a huge help. I could not have done it without them. But yep, that was the last time they stayed here in that spare room. "Out of sight, out of mind," and all THAT comes tumbling back when he comes "home" to stay in that room again, I thought. So I thought the message about his wife's allergies was a kind way of them saying, we can't stay at your home. And I thought I would lose both my children, not just Sweet Jess. ACK! I didn't know WHAT to do or say or HOW to handle it at all! (This nearly never happens to me, I tend to be very concise, and I prefer things that way.)</p><p>So I thought and thought and took a 1/2 ativan to fight the head spinning anxiety, and figured I would not approach this directly, since it didn't seem they wanted to: it was about Torey's wife's health, not "the spare room." I decided I would have to hide my feelings and just give them an open door to figure out their emotions on their own in their own time, and hope that my son would have some room for me in his heart somewhere so I wouldn't lose him. Even if that means visiting on "outside territory" that doesn't carry the weight of Jessie's life and her struggles and our sadness in this home. They can stay wherever it feels comfortable and I have to be comfortable with that. I can do that. Right?</p><p>I charged up my phone and knew we would have a call with the kids after they got finished with work, and I'd worked with myself to get this to a place that gives them "a back door," flexibility, when I really wanted to say, "I need you, please come and be with me."</p><p>Welp. Guess what? It was NOT about ME. Hello dear, neurotic Jen!</p><p>When we talked on the phone (deep breaths before I called him from the porch outside) he said they'd cancelled their trip <i>altogether</i> and they chose to do that because they didn't want OTHERS to feel uncomfortable with his wife's allergy coughing. </p><p>Oh wow. How generous! How sweet! How thoughtful! How <i>them!</i> I know that's who they are, because they always were, when we visited them, but I had gone into "me" zone. (Heck, I hate when I do that.)</p><p>SUCH relief. It isn't US. It isn't Jess. It isn't the horrible thing I was envisioning about death and weight and memories, it's JUST thoughtfulness and coughing and allergies and WOW. </p><p>SO - I feel relieved of course, but wanted to share my story so that we are ALL reminded it isn't all about US. And it is definitely worthwhile to take a few steps back and b r e a t h e before we react from our own sometimes myopic worldview lens. </p><p>Yes, I am still considering moving, to have that "clean page" without all the struggles and weight. Yes, I am very aware of how any appearance of photos and stuff belonging to my daughter might affect others spending time with us, but there's no way I'm going to deny her existence by putting it <i>all</i> away. It's wonderful to acknowledge that she was here, and to tell stories about her love and life. She was, is, and always will be a beloved part of our lives.</p><p>But most important of all, is WOW, I was reminded today to open up and step out of my own viewpoint; my kids were being very generous and compassionate about others and their fears of covid, coughs, and general germ phobia, which is understandably rampant these days.</p><p>Aren't they just amazing? Thanks kids. From the bottom of my heart. For the consideration of others and for the reminder that I needed to open up my viewpoint. </p><p>I do think there's some truth to my concerns, as the parents in the grief groups have had several discussions about losing relatives because of the pain, and about whether to move or continue to live in the house with weighty struggles - there's no right answer for that one. Some people thrive in a new environment, others have regrets about moving, but one thing we know for sure is that no matter what, this is something you can't outrun. It's something you learn to carry, and it's always going to be a bit of a roller coaster, though I've found the ride gets a little bit smoother and somewhat more predictable and I get better at knowing when to hang on and when to scream and when to giggle and when to just turn my face into the wind and let my hair blow behind me.</p><p>The big thing I learned? It's not about me. It's not about me. It's not about me. B r e a t h e. And embrace the beauty of others being themselves. (And yes, maybe move, or enjoy redoing the house as we are able.)</p><p>So tonight, after porch talking and much listening and support, my thoughtful husband is making COMFORT FOOD for us, pot pie - chicken, peas, carrots, potatoes, cream of asparagus soup (Campbells) and crust from scratch. (Not a Taste of Home recipe, but good nonetheless.)</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3oQxs_y7EsQvEH5H2IM03cRj4nWKIu3iPPdZsniRaEqS_PsBWsscLj6rpkxEeSANa-DjECepFVcyWPDaVRHFjmXwey6LXfZ89lYwwJKEaDR_IJm-VETUIeg3rdbdqvUvEvE1kzivYCE8tElheneM1hcGuz4hVM1QxEbJGSgw8tyOQTEfYQLJcDnOqg/s3110/IMG_3350.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3110" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3oQxs_y7EsQvEH5H2IM03cRj4nWKIu3iPPdZsniRaEqS_PsBWsscLj6rpkxEeSANa-DjECepFVcyWPDaVRHFjmXwey6LXfZ89lYwwJKEaDR_IJm-VETUIeg3rdbdqvUvEvE1kzivYCE8tElheneM1hcGuz4hVM1QxEbJGSgw8tyOQTEfYQLJcDnOqg/s320/IMG_3350.jpeg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MMMmmmmmm....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> Bon appetit. All better now for a minute, food is love and works like a charm, along with hugs and the anticipation of a visit later, when everyone feels better. Wish I could bring them some good old chicken soup!<p></p><p>And in case you might be interested in those breakfast recipes, check 'em out! <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/vegetarian-breakfast-casseroles/&source=gmail&ust=1663390465171000&usg=AOvVaw2EDpTiXyAEXaWRue_rngzC" href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/vegetarian-breakfast-casseroles/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://www.tasteofhome.com/<wbr></wbr>collection/vegetarian-<wbr></wbr>breakfast-casseroles/</a></p><p>Namaste my Loves</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-86324521472332948332022-04-29T12:37:00.053-07:002022-04-30T14:24:03.711-07:00Happy Earth Birthday Sweet Jess!<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakzG9m5-zfoHYlQxJFxqEdej2qG9s6_H1rZXFc3FDyfMdqypyXOu92Pek_deBy75Nyky9A8PKL8EniYz6n3bYlQ2C8_egtXLcVWXqqZGu45MewNIw3EdPsDb3wxXGr_Bq555nFun_Zqnpq_MnDKzClB7Gcx7Y0WlFtK6yb4GOMfwQ03VH2vM5cH3ebg/s1247/1DSC_0430.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1247" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakzG9m5-zfoHYlQxJFxqEdej2qG9s6_H1rZXFc3FDyfMdqypyXOu92Pek_deBy75Nyky9A8PKL8EniYz6n3bYlQ2C8_egtXLcVWXqqZGu45MewNIw3EdPsDb3wxXGr_Bq555nFun_Zqnpq_MnDKzClB7Gcx7Y0WlFtK6yb4GOMfwQ03VH2vM5cH3ebg/s320/1DSC_0430.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my girl XO!</td></tr></tbody></table>Happy Earth Birthday to my beloved Celestial daughter! This is a day that I celebrate for all the times we had together and all the times we continue to have. Namaste my sweet girl! <div><br /></div><div>I'm not going to put a number on what her age "would be," because I talked about that in the post called <a href="https://dreamkeepercreations.blogspot.com/2022/01/forever-26-not-heres-why.html" target="_blank">Forever 26? NOT. Here's Why</a>.<p></p><p>In the seven years she's been gone to True Home before me, I've learned so much, and the best way I can think of to give others hope and share some of the healing is to refer back to a page I included in my book about our journey, <i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-alive-after-death-jennifer-anne-berghage/1138741302?ean=9781736384510" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coming Alive After Death, Recovery from Grief</a></i>. It is one of three pages that appear in the book and I created them to show the progression of healing from shock and trauma to peace, love, and light. This is the page called <b>COUNTING ALL BLESSINGS - GRATITUDE AND PEACE</b>. May you all find this magical feeling that it really is okay, and we are all truly held in the dearest arms of LOVE at all times, as you go through these journeys with your beloveds both here on Earth, and in the Otherworlds.</p><p><i>You're my treasure, Sweet Jess. I am a buoy that will not sink. I take care of you with honor and dignity. I am strong. The angels are holding me. The angels are holding you. I do this with you. Thank you for your presence and your peace and your love. I feel it. You lived, here, with all of yourself, and for that I'm so glad. You are not cold. You are not sick. You feel no pain. You need no doctors. You're healthy and whole. You're Home, and where else would I want you to be after a job well done, a life well lived? </i></p><p><i>You are surrounded by love. I am so honored to have been able to love you. I loved you from even before you were conceived. I loved you as a spirit dreaming of adventures on Earth. I loved you as a babe. I loved you as a growing teenager. I loved you as a young adult. I love you in your beautiful whole spirit form. I loved laughing with you. I laugh with you now. I can do this. I can do this with grace. I can do this with dignity. I do this with love. I carry you in my heart. You are everywhere. You are love. You are surrounded by love. I can hold happiness and sadness inside myself at the same time without conflict. </i></p><p><i>I recognize you as an infinitely regenerating spirit. You've had a thousand children, and you will have a thousand more if you choose. You've been married, unmarried, male, female, child, adult, elder, and everything in-between. You've been royalty and slave, free, and encumbered. You have the right to experience here on Earth any thing you wish to experience. We all do.</i></p><p><i>I recognize and embrace worlds upon worlds of mystery and magic. I do not need to control. I do not need to save. No one needs saving. Death is but a doorway into life of another kind. Death is a blessed friend. Without death, we would have no children. We would have endless perpetuation of ownership and tyranny. Death is our freedom. I celebrate death. Death is birth, the birth of each and every one of us spirits being human.</i></p><p><i>We are not alone. You have your angels and allies both on Earth and in all of the other worlds. I have my angels and allies both on Earth and in all of the other worlds. Time is ever only now. I have learned to speak another language, the language of the heart. I have learned to listen. I am now able to hear. I have learned to look. I am now able to see. I have learned that questions are safe. And answers flow freely for all of us, directly from our Creative Source, the Source of Love.</i></p><p><i>I step forward with confidence, knowing that we are safe. We are always safe. We are loved. We are always loved. We love. It is our choice. No one and no entity can chain or bind our love. It belongs to us as individuals. Love is unending. Love is infinite. We are made of it.</i></p><p><i>I grow and develop compassion. I give. I forgive. I trust in the process. I trust in the beautiful cycles of life. I can laugh and I can cry all in the same day and yet retain my equilibrium. I love my heart. I love that I love. I choose love. Always and all ways. I love my Earth. I love the people around me. I love the creatures around me. I see the spirit in them too. I'm surrounded by love.</i></p><p><i>We are individual parts of the Whole. We are not separate, but ever, each, of one another. We are One. Like the facets of a diamond, we shine rainbow light from within when we step out of the darkness, into the light.</i></p><p><i>We are beauty. We are creativity. We are and always will be. We are color and sound and vibration. We are energy itself in all its forms. We are forever.</i></p><p><i>Let us sing. And in our singing, bring forth magic.</i></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc19ptf6OJtnjbgAkTUr1JvgTAnvjhTAHQBxNif3GQ-vh4d5Uyk9nLyvfndxOoq1N081VRq0xZKjO6fcaDJLoYzTI2P3X-7vlC7VzYCCmVQAdj2eedV7Pw4Em8OTaZLrTdikRBWB5FjDdtL3oZccrjNj0QYJNQiq3SmmTsZjorpSdTCeCKlJk-_KFs3g/s3872/1DSC_1197.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc19ptf6OJtnjbgAkTUr1JvgTAnvjhTAHQBxNif3GQ-vh4d5Uyk9nLyvfndxOoq1N081VRq0xZKjO6fcaDJLoYzTI2P3X-7vlC7VzYCCmVQAdj2eedV7Pw4Em8OTaZLrTdikRBWB5FjDdtL3oZccrjNj0QYJNQiq3SmmTsZjorpSdTCeCKlJk-_KFs3g/s320/1DSC_1197.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooch!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1qyQd9sSXIO3dVlydgw58AuZBpsDpCrWFUAgkeDxVDLDPPkEViI0cwu4WJhbJBfykGxVat2U_YDemqHZKm25H0zvUP-m15hxVES6lCZcj9xuV9q-CHmWVxttYxrmtJok6TkIIhltXZ_4QK-nIwVc1OfEI3QvX-Lf7MoFnrG8lmTmyTu1zC3lxCHXMg/s800/IMG_6048.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="597" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1qyQd9sSXIO3dVlydgw58AuZBpsDpCrWFUAgkeDxVDLDPPkEViI0cwu4WJhbJBfykGxVat2U_YDemqHZKm25H0zvUP-m15hxVES6lCZcj9xuV9q-CHmWVxttYxrmtJok6TkIIhltXZ_4QK-nIwVc1OfEI3QvX-Lf7MoFnrG8lmTmyTu1zC3lxCHXMg/s320/IMG_6048.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I remember!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMAGLBls95HDtLwP7tmD6H0B0ZmZY0tqXJPGxmHqgAcZUmj7iZ2hmMcE86PEpRUiEebHlhXgUz2VZrlt4OK-PLzFLAbpcSxkm65Slqv6MfuaHQ2hTK9PkIgNuIGXUe6HbyQu5ZE2rb-kUrEXbHXgqpORqytILjuhu4LeBuScNDFvSSJk3ySyzKo370Q/s720/1Jess2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="720" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMAGLBls95HDtLwP7tmD6H0B0ZmZY0tqXJPGxmHqgAcZUmj7iZ2hmMcE86PEpRUiEebHlhXgUz2VZrlt4OK-PLzFLAbpcSxkm65Slqv6MfuaHQ2hTK9PkIgNuIGXUe6HbyQu5ZE2rb-kUrEXbHXgqpORqytILjuhu4LeBuScNDFvSSJk3ySyzKo370Q/s320/1Jess2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your heart is my new doorbell Momma!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All the loves and all the happies on this day and always!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">XO!</div><div><br /></div>AND, you want me to tell you how I know Sweet Jess was with me while I put up this blog post? First, I went to my original Word document to copy the section I wanted to post, but every time I tried to input it, the program treated it as an image, which, of course was too tiny to read. I went into the code to remove the image tags, but it didn't leave any text; there wasn't any text to leave in-between the image tags. Fine. We all know that copy and paste from a Word doc into another program gets ugly with dirty code. The thing is, there's no way there's any code related to images in the original Word doc because it's just straight text. Hm....<div><br /></div><div>SO I got my paperback copy of my book and flipped it open, and guess which page it landed on right off the bat. YEP! The Counting All Blessings: Gratitude and Peace page. I chuckled and said "Hi Sweet Jess! Thank you!" Then I held it open with a clamp and paperweight and yes, I had to type in every single word of that section. In doing that I was deeply reminded of how much healing has taken place since the day of her death. And I was also deeply reminded that she is with me every single step of the way, as are your Celestial beloveds. Never doubt it. Where there's love, there's a connection that is timeless.</div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-16380168646160157832022-04-27T23:40:00.013-07:002022-06-18T23:30:25.617-07:00Why Create A Character List?<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6PLkQoaUgK0n1v5AOh1otS_XzFjP7U75xnk_G1D-wYeS-f8lDYnUJyIoXK9YPpPktT-nFjNnmCHe3nrUkIDdOLId5lZztvq3AHKiJ_AyTZ3maSjvVLJzScNnr_4jcw3Max4F-Fq2qplktLAnzz5_kwA4MVEmq22quEuM9KNn0iiIUHrkoFCBvaMgQEA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6PLkQoaUgK0n1v5AOh1otS_XzFjP7U75xnk_G1D-wYeS-f8lDYnUJyIoXK9YPpPktT-nFjNnmCHe3nrUkIDdOLId5lZztvq3AHKiJ_AyTZ3maSjvVLJzScNnr_4jcw3Max4F-Fq2qplktLAnzz5_kwA4MVEmq22quEuM9KNn0iiIUHrkoFCBvaMgQEA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I can be a real character; can't we all?!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This is my "mouse face," which cracked my kids up to no end over the years, especially when I pull my ears out with my fingers behind them. We used to sit at the dinner table and do this, good times. Sometimes my mouse face accidentally appears when I am editing and or writing and I see something egregious that we really need to fix in a manuscript. There's some entertaining breathing that goes with it too.... Mouse represents <i>scrutiny</i>, according to my favorite teacher, David Carson, with his animal <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Medicine-Cards-Discovery-Through-Animals/dp/0312204914" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Medicine Cards</a>, and editors have to be reeeeally good with scrutiny. <p>But seriously, I want to share a great tip for writers and editors that can make the job of completing a long manuscript (book) SO MUCH EASIER.</p><p>As a professional editor and published author, I've worked with various wonderfully creative clients and projects that are vastly different, but the one thing we ALL benefitted from during the creation of these works was a CHARACTER LIST.</p><p>WHAT IS IT? Always much longer than you might assume at the beginning. And really a lifesaver at the end of the project when things are complicated and getting all those ducks in a row can be challenging.</p><p>WHY DO IT? Oh, because so so so so many thousands of tiny details can go wrong and you might spend hours trying to make them right, such as the MATH in a book (dates, ages, what happened to whom and when, who are the key players, closure on characters as they roll in and out of the story) and much more!</p><p>I'll share a couple of examples of what happens if you DON'T have a Character List.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The author wrote a manuscript about 140 pages long, a page-turner for sure, and it includes 69 characters. The plot contains flashbacks, so some of the passages describe events from various childhoods, and it includes deaths, pregnancies, and loads of other juicy adventures. I realized that one of the characters as currently written (BEFORE I created the character list) was pregnant for TWO YEARS (cause the man who impregnated her had been dead for over a year by the time she had the baby later in the manuscript), yep, we fixed that! She was so relieved, that woman carrying that babe in her womb for so long.... And another character was somehow able to see with eyes in the back of her head as she fed her baby (strapped to her back because he was just an infant until we fixed that) strawberries and the juice went down his chin. We made him older and took him out of the papoose so the mother could walk next to him so as not to need those eyes in the back of her head to see the juice run down his chin while he was strapped to her back - though all mothers know, and some smart kids too, that we DO have those eyes in the back of our heads, oh YEAH! </li><li>If you're working on a trilogy (very helpful to have a list on this one!) you have to make sure the characters are described the same way and how can you hold all that in your head when you're dealing with fairies with silver skin and purple eyes or green skin and yellow eyes and certain powers that other fairies don't have? AND who lives where? They have territories too! </li></ul>The Character List is truly one of the most useful things I've ever devised and I can say I've referred to it a million times working through manuscripts and been able to answer questions and solve problems with the flick of a page where that info sits, readable at a glance, as opposed to rereading or skimming through a hundred pages to find out the facts.<p></p><p>HOW TO ORGANIZE A CHARACTER LIST</p><p>Not too helpful to have a straight list of 69 names with brief descriptions. That takes wading, and I don't have time for wading unless I am out with my feet in a stream in the forest. I wanna flip those pages and go "AHA! I've got it! It's right here!"</p><p>So a little organization is a Very Good Thing.</p><p>To do that you can ask yourself - </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Who are your KEY players? </li><ul><li>they may often be closely related to other characters whom you should jot down in the description such as spouses, siblings, etc.</li></ul><li>Next category - Who are your SUPPORTING players?</li><ul><li>these are the ones that are well-developed in the story but not appearing in every scene, not the protagonists, but important nonetheless.</li></ul><li>Next category - Who are the ones mentioned almost off-handedly, maybe important to the events as they play out but they only appear in one scene and aren't critical?</li><ul><li>You can separate these from the main characters but still jot down a bit about them to preserve consistency throughout the manuscript.</li></ul><li>Last category - Who are the ones introduced lightly in the beginning or middle so they need some closure but they're pretty much peripheral?</li><ul><li>These might be characters who come in, create a kerfuffle, and may appear later, needing to be dealt with, but if we don't have them on the character list, it's too easy to forget them so the reader's left thinking, "Hm, whatever happened to the kerfuffle guy?"</li></ul><li>And I have to mention that I have not yet worked with any author who doesn't choose the SAME NAME for more than one character in their manuscript. Yep, sometimes this is important, but it's like caviar, a little goes a long way and there better be supporting players, like son named after father, etc. One of my authors had five, count 'em, FIVE characters (females) with the same first name, and THREE (male) unrelated characters with the same first name. We fixed it. Easy peasy!</li></ul><div>Sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees. That's why a Character List is so helpful.</div><div><br /></div>The Character List can also save you from introducing someone IMPORTANT waaaay too late in the game (with a character list you can see where to add scenes that are pivotal for an important later appearance to support it). The art in creating a story that holds together, provides emotion to move the reader, satisfaction on all fronts but pulled together at the end, benefits hugely from something as simple as the Character List.<p></p><p>I actually don't need major software to do this and I don't belabor it though you can if you want to. You can do a spreadsheet with several columns of information, but I find that just choosing the categories listed above (and/or other categories as needed depending on the manuscript) on a Word doc saves oceans of time.</p><p>Tuck this into your toolbox. It'll be different for each manuscript, and likely it'll be a dynamic document that grows with the development of the story, so you'll need to update it and share it with your author, but its value is priceless!</p><p>You're welcome.</p><p>Namaste from the Jen who writes and encourages all who have an interest to do the same : ) And do get your material edited. Quality is so cool and satisfying on all fronts, and it makes YOU look so GOOD!!</p><p><br /></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-50284933692611063382022-01-05T16:10:00.006-08:002022-01-05T16:27:06.676-08:00Forever 26? NOT. Here's why....<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggbPAg2ANlXKkSwYSxoDC1Pz8rwT6Yl7768yA9IBSeibhfcyoxeKgs9ga0ORPqvgzOUrqG_LShbh_DodOn5H7CwrTmVXT7UbM2YydvDjsz8heTGxV5Xc7qjQvc4LZ8oGRRrnYzWhr7DObVMKuYusT42nvrkMia9xu38fXl2W8zFUXPZ7RIt7BQPBPzew=s395" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="293" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggbPAg2ANlXKkSwYSxoDC1Pz8rwT6Yl7768yA9IBSeibhfcyoxeKgs9ga0ORPqvgzOUrqG_LShbh_DodOn5H7CwrTmVXT7UbM2YydvDjsz8heTGxV5Xc7qjQvc4LZ8oGRRrnYzWhr7DObVMKuYusT42nvrkMia9xu38fXl2W8zFUXPZ7RIt7BQPBPzew=s320" width="237" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy happy birthday my Love XO!</td></tr></tbody></table>My daughter died in 2015 and she had just turned 26 years old. She had a sickness for a year and a half, and 12 doctors on two coasts who never figured out for sure what made this sickness. And we could not stop it leading to her (what I realize now) full recovery, which didn't take place on Earth.<p></p><p>But she <i>is</i> fully recovered and very much alive nonetheless. I've learned so much from her since her transition, and I am most grateful for her ongoing presence and her teaching me about what comes after.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUx_htpC4IopAbS9p3U-Rv4ae1uAAnJNHSbdG30sohA4H7lEeq4evQ0zzxAOtOpcFsL0EdU3At1zGS_NjGxjqLi-MlwSOgPF50iD8u2aA_-5t5XZAShtmZjkg2MNtUoDrLV_gfW5p9yQzfhIq_yD4xp2MRYQ4BSoMWyBAEwi9q4tUN9pgHJsxkfK-p3w=s2256" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2256" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUx_htpC4IopAbS9p3U-Rv4ae1uAAnJNHSbdG30sohA4H7lEeq4evQ0zzxAOtOpcFsL0EdU3At1zGS_NjGxjqLi-MlwSOgPF50iD8u2aA_-5t5XZAShtmZjkg2MNtUoDrLV_gfW5p9yQzfhIq_yD4xp2MRYQ4BSoMWyBAEwi9q4tUN9pgHJsxkfK-p3w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved EVERYTHING from very small... </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKNIFlLCNgp9yye-cWV2lYGsD5xGBVeQYuywxUvygZaT5bQFqJHnMvOYE6iKPPB4q-BAt7lepZ0S42QE_Ux0MgDaZHoFx_afyT_83oWnxgFUX2dA8cZYNdF2sSLX80mNxbs4I8b32sZeTrG8nfZ0__8EUr_1vzgIAVXfNZJNvxUUc-vZlEpZCutN61UA=s960" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKNIFlLCNgp9yye-cWV2lYGsD5xGBVeQYuywxUvygZaT5bQFqJHnMvOYE6iKPPB4q-BAt7lepZ0S42QE_Ux0MgDaZHoFx_afyT_83oWnxgFUX2dA8cZYNdF2sSLX80mNxbs4I8b32sZeTrG8nfZ0__8EUr_1vzgIAVXfNZJNvxUUc-vZlEpZCutN61UA=s320" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To a little bit bigger...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0pVKzlFGoQ0RK3fLIfWqoqm80NcqQ-jhbfsJuqDSbTFKkNWF-WvH8XKkXFdo819qNpG3TybVwDH9RhU4ByXdIqc57pOOxcX8Pi_esurHvgGVq-GQIcIbc4LPpKioSBhSrh8V9cajCqECpbYoPUv5y1wr2i3zsgKHWAPZUGGDg8TDm7kMTRPHM0AW4rQ=s3888" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="2592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0pVKzlFGoQ0RK3fLIfWqoqm80NcqQ-jhbfsJuqDSbTFKkNWF-WvH8XKkXFdo819qNpG3TybVwDH9RhU4ByXdIqc57pOOxcX8Pi_esurHvgGVq-GQIcIbc4LPpKioSBhSrh8V9cajCqECpbYoPUv5y1wr2i3zsgKHWAPZUGGDg8TDm7kMTRPHM0AW4rQ=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To even bigger...</td></tr></tbody></table>Such as tiny little Earth creatures, animals who accompanied her on her Earth journey, and her work as a studio photographer.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLK8WdS0wO4rsqok1b91HHQ-j1HEkJ-7x_a0XnGYmIsbV_Px4QElfMlAT5ZPYf2k7oBMK3kaNNUmtG_YvTSeFBGrTbFgCVje9Mrbb3eiPYwvGhr9cQxzZwrjgohfUDYeliT9rbaqLIxgmV0i1uwY3d3bbJpTI81UgyWHqbTur_w4HkGnO8w_3TeGpfoQ=s2256" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2256" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLK8WdS0wO4rsqok1b91HHQ-j1HEkJ-7x_a0XnGYmIsbV_Px4QElfMlAT5ZPYf2k7oBMK3kaNNUmtG_YvTSeFBGrTbFgCVje9Mrbb3eiPYwvGhr9cQxzZwrjgohfUDYeliT9rbaqLIxgmV0i1uwY3d3bbJpTI81UgyWHqbTur_w4HkGnO8w_3TeGpfoQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jess in her element. Camera an extension of her body.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH0YrOo0U6xUq97298m89BDYzkSkkdGXBnD0LzI1Q_6O7k1XlrkwL4pZWhGlWtg6ALRW6xNeeKHMjsnym-XDmWtigWJr0aA194MBjOq407tM3fyehIXr-VlGz2tgo5coU3CQM91kAwjcn0xFoqLH0-G0PBdCHDiRzYELApAtrAiAthiZlXSY5WGSyBiQ=s2116" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="1403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH0YrOo0U6xUq97298m89BDYzkSkkdGXBnD0LzI1Q_6O7k1XlrkwL4pZWhGlWtg6ALRW6xNeeKHMjsnym-XDmWtigWJr0aA194MBjOq407tM3fyehIXr-VlGz2tgo5coU3CQM91kAwjcn0xFoqLH0-G0PBdCHDiRzYELApAtrAiAthiZlXSY5WGSyBiQ=s320" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up. She's taught me to do this too.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXDfMTnfmJCicAxPMmz8TL_x6u5m04pGJam6cu64caot4aMLykq9Mx_75T1l_lLSRfXU3DLd3btHWjPbHksoT76N1Y-esIGbL_Yq72vMSchitsdG35T8GvZJ3Pauh1zR0QR_OMta0ybJCtxhJ04scqJJoaWho3HXiOTtMFhWIyki0QZpiMemQG-CxJ4g=s2256" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="1496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXDfMTnfmJCicAxPMmz8TL_x6u5m04pGJam6cu64caot4aMLykq9Mx_75T1l_lLSRfXU3DLd3btHWjPbHksoT76N1Y-esIGbL_Yq72vMSchitsdG35T8GvZJ3Pauh1zR0QR_OMta0ybJCtxhJ04scqJJoaWho3HXiOTtMFhWIyki0QZpiMemQG-CxJ4g=s320" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loved me. So well.</td></tr></tbody></table>She still does.<div><br /></div><div>So here's why I can't say "forever 26" when I talk about her now. After her transition. Because she's still very much alive. Because she's taken everything she's learned back to her Heaven and she gets to ride with it in as much detail as she likes for as long as she likes with whatever companions she chooses out of all that ever was, is now, or ever will be. Wow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yep. She's taught me that TIME is simultaneous in her Heaven, so there's no past, present or future, just whatever she chooses to focus on.</div><div><br /></div><div>AND she's taught me that there are no Earth boundaries in her Heaven, so she can experience whatever she wants to. The only limitation is her Celestial gift of imagination, which belongs to each of us. (Yay!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Imagine that.</div><div><br /></div><div>She's also taught me that she's had past lives. And we can access our memories of those right here and now by experiencing something called Past Life Regression. It's real. It's connection to the experience of our souls. And it's really cool!</div><div><br /></div><div>And in her past lives, (as well as my own) we've BEEN married. We've had children. Families. Love. And we've been heroes and victims. We've been free in some lives and chained in others, by people as well as substances and the vagaries of life. We've ruled and we've slaved. We've caused harm. We've hated. We've healed. We've done <i>everything</i>. All of it. And we continue to do that, all of us, as we choose.</div><div><br /></div><div>And there is no judgment except our own. She's taught me that after we transition back to Home, we <i>feel</i> all that we've caused and we decide on a deep, soul level what we want to do with that. And we come around again, bringing with us our soul choices. </div><div><br /></div><div>She's taught me that even though we go back Home, to our Heavens, we retain memory of our life experiences and we retain emotion as well as individuality. She's taught me that the soul is composed of ALL our memories and experiences. And where there's love, we often experience many lives together with our beloveds. Over and over again, in different ways. Yay!! We play. We're safe. Because we're <i>essentially</i> immortal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like Nature teaches us, we cycle back and forth, back and forth, between our Heavens and our Earth and other places too. To experience life. And life is just the spark of the divine b e i n g.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisoFB_o8Oa02XTxyP95lqmpq43cp-EPZwzeQWQlIjFNrmzG5et_fJRYVa1afuIZ5_uqsNmA9hjeSCb0Vv4R-vZCKBrh10dwihIphTMEHaQ5fgHihcQB9bHgQb8yBqg-ovy-ejfCUE0U_EALrefQGaQj_oXTzXnvOK8WL6KlmxLUkyEsiKBFt8JSSoiLQ=s4672" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3104" data-original-width="4672" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisoFB_o8Oa02XTxyP95lqmpq43cp-EPZwzeQWQlIjFNrmzG5et_fJRYVa1afuIZ5_uqsNmA9hjeSCb0Vv4R-vZCKBrh10dwihIphTMEHaQ5fgHihcQB9bHgQb8yBqg-ovy-ejfCUE0U_EALrefQGaQj_oXTzXnvOK8WL6KlmxLUkyEsiKBFt8JSSoiLQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She has soared. She still does!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Let us celebrate the soaring of our beloveds. We come naked to this world but not without so very many gifts from our Creator, the best of which is Life itself. Experience.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlIQo8vjQ4IzeZw6v9ZpN-HSPcEnCojF6zWy-38qAzkKTVu40uKw-n8gYz5ceQLeI28Ad6YD0qZ-cL1QUXYAhC_SD25n-M0GV2kqDYhFaXX8hwWtjZqTjAKMXTzoDbfErwTOL1-m5GQBXAIUTAaESt6A51B1NOXiSftYe0t6budaZ-uKVbzL0ACkeOug=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlIQo8vjQ4IzeZw6v9ZpN-HSPcEnCojF6zWy-38qAzkKTVu40uKw-n8gYz5ceQLeI28Ad6YD0qZ-cL1QUXYAhC_SD25n-M0GV2kqDYhFaXX8hwWtjZqTjAKMXTzoDbfErwTOL1-m5GQBXAIUTAaESt6A51B1NOXiSftYe0t6budaZ-uKVbzL0ACkeOug=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy journeys my beloved. Always.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So when I think about my Celestial daughter who transitioned in 2015, I cannot say "forever 26." I just can't. She is. She IS. We are. We ARE. I am. I AM.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wow that's so cool.</div><div><br /></div><div>I breathe the air, something in me connecting to all the creatures here on this planet who also have physical systems that breathe the air, they're alive. And I watch the sun, rise, set. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's really not going up or down, but around.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good to ponder, that....</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste,</div><div>~Jen<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <div><br /><br /></div></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-64425177818126235862022-01-04T17:13:00.003-08:002022-01-05T21:26:10.424-08:00What Makes the Best Present Ever<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCRAAogVHtVoB-Y101U4zHMcRnAH7ZirxW35t69-l-XYlsEEKKahtLob0dJwBLu0QzStHLmNVATxECdhUlL8_42DvgVTbwbWl83_z6GDP5XsUve7FUB8CsMZr7xRiczcDGNPPAttWjIx5qJ7qiddav4e_xu7rknUS1REKqh9wHHSN1cPPHIjdP8ALfyg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCRAAogVHtVoB-Y101U4zHMcRnAH7ZirxW35t69-l-XYlsEEKKahtLob0dJwBLu0QzStHLmNVATxECdhUlL8_42DvgVTbwbWl83_z6GDP5XsUve7FUB8CsMZr7xRiczcDGNPPAttWjIx5qJ7qiddav4e_xu7rknUS1REKqh9wHHSN1cPPHIjdP8ALfyg=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colors! Read below to find out more....</td></tr></tbody></table>Nope. The best present ever is not a thing, even though I uploaded a photo of this lovely spice rack.<p></p><p>The BEST PRESENT EVER is my husband's observation of the blossoming that's going on inside of me and his support of it.</p><p>His present made me cry when I opened it. Because his present said "I care. I see. I'm right here with you."</p><p>I work nights. I'm an artist. I write, I paint, I draw, I make beautiful beadwork, and I work nights because the sounds of the day are rather invasive and in order to listen, which is a huge component of all the work I do, I need quiet. With leaf blowers and traffic and people banging about, I can't hear, so I work nights.</p><p>Most times I'm in my studio. But sometimes I putter around the house quietly so as not to wake those sleeping. And one of my putterings lately involved rejuvenation. I noticed that on my kitchen counter I had something that connects me with my Celestial daughter's physical presence. When she moved into her new apartment in Oregon in 2012, I sent her a spice rack. Well, food is love, right? So I contributed to her kitchen, her cooking, and her love of others. When I bought it for her, I bought one for me too, just exactly like hers.</p><p>When she died in 2015, I did not bring hers home, but I guarded the one I had just like hers for a long, long time. It sat on my kitchen counter by the stove and I didn't use the spices, I saved them.</p><p>This year I am definitely feeling some sunshine and sparkle in my life and I want to push that out into all the corners and cubbies so I emptied all those spices never used, and I filled up a tall container with soapy bubbles and soaked them for several days. That container sat on the counter for a while. Then I rinsed them with vinegar and set them up to dry.</p><p>My intention was to buy new spices and fill these lovely containers up and use them! But I had been a single Mom for several years and knew the stretch of the budget and had been worrying in my mind about how I would be able to afford all these new spices even now - a luxury indeed. I figured I'd be able to sneak one or two in on the grocery bill every few weeks without taxing the budget overmuch.</p><p>Well Christmas came. And my husband handed me a box that was beautifully wrapped. I didn't know what was in it. It's been years since I've been surprised at Christmas because usually we talk about what we might like or need, and the other makes it happen, but we hadn't talked about this.</p><p>I opened the box. Inside there were almost 18 brand new little bottles filled with colorful fragrant spices. WOW.</p><p>I just sat there and cried. Because my husband had noticed. He had swooped in and fulfilled a need that I didn't even think to share with him. </p><p>I said, "How did you know?"</p><p>He said, "Well I saw them on the counter and realized you were washing them and sort of stepping into bringing life to things and I wanted to support that."</p><p>Oh. Oh!</p><p>He went to three different stores to even be able to find all the different spices. And there was one he couldn't find. I'll tell you about it in a minute. ALL of these spices I use in our cooking all the time (from the jars that we keep in the cabinet over the stove), so this was a very cool thing he did. I spent an evening recently refilling these lovely containers and noticed that all of a sudden they were all very colorful! 10+ years of no use had made the old spices fade, no color, no flavor, just sitting there without appreciation, being guarded. Now they were absolutely vibrant! AND I'm using them, and every time I do, I feel the love of my daughter, the love between me and anyone I'm cooking for, and the love of my sweet husband.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDoFNTlhfayLPnZ3WYwzy47GyKpLP0mVggBXj-wExUzxjz_EBL1OS9kR4CnxDG0f7fsrgRU2h5GuqxDE54P-PnEvvMsTyyikHmcTXKvtPvmxiWs9cDUB3AC1VExJPr7wzMFyyspfRWkMN9J9Q_JlP8qyIBYtX52YXyC10fyoNbgwRg4trrX2mrjCnm3Q=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDoFNTlhfayLPnZ3WYwzy47GyKpLP0mVggBXj-wExUzxjz_EBL1OS9kR4CnxDG0f7fsrgRU2h5GuqxDE54P-PnEvvMsTyyikHmcTXKvtPvmxiWs9cDUB3AC1VExJPr7wzMFyyspfRWkMN9J9Q_JlP8qyIBYtX52YXyC10fyoNbgwRg4trrX2mrjCnm3Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Names are on the top of each container, so yummy!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>So he was able to get all but one of the spices, and that was fennel. He went all over town, no fennel anywhere. He googled it but search terms are tricky so he was unable to come up with fennel as an herb or spice.</p><p>So I googled it and I can't even tell you how much fun that turned out to be so I'm going to share it with you.</p><p>I discovered a FABULOUS web site called <a href="http://nuts.com">nuts.com</a>, where I was able to find fennel seed, which has to be ground with a mortar and pestle, no problem, we do that all the time.... </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwmtKmCRrhKfqOyubunKw618_Cxg9X4y9ozcec6B_sFOW8lsO3vi12Jd4eRwL3HoVNehVaPL8hB2fYd7PkEnYcfjvA-H0uHL5LDIDWmIJnyA_THnEA4zMfnyz5VdH4CGSuQKLxIIHD0ZXTYQotn8ZPg7czJFEZERE-U-PyvoXBpO2O129aERlz-h7dag=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwmtKmCRrhKfqOyubunKw618_Cxg9X4y9ozcec6B_sFOW8lsO3vi12Jd4eRwL3HoVNehVaPL8hB2fYd7PkEnYcfjvA-H0uHL5LDIDWmIJnyA_THnEA4zMfnyz5VdH4CGSuQKLxIIHD0ZXTYQotn8ZPg7czJFEZERE-U-PyvoXBpO2O129aERlz-h7dag=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob uses this to make his Greek seasoning, <br />which uses 13 spices, SO GOOD!!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>But the site where we found the fennel seed is worth sharing because it's a business worth supporting for sure. Lots of organic stuff, and their marketing FAR surpasses anything else I've seen except for maybe the Geico lizard, who amuses me to no end. It is a delight. Here we go!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7kUsh5jx3xGqXGPG6Wxt4a8QvzmbNkqW7cOxEpKzJjUQPTj1MZuZEosz8M0wywwXtEDfdJGKTSZ0W9PkrkVHn0T1lMa9plUR6_rlNEwSCspvuf0cSnTM0ft8Lddq9f3hdZEMCW6dCNrp7lPfH8y_X4LlOLVZsP-0lt4h669Dl-4MRUYYx44VPGfaK6Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7kUsh5jx3xGqXGPG6Wxt4a8QvzmbNkqW7cOxEpKzJjUQPTj1MZuZEosz8M0wywwXtEDfdJGKTSZ0W9PkrkVHn0T1lMa9plUR6_rlNEwSCspvuf0cSnTM0ft8Lddq9f3hdZEMCW6dCNrp7lPfH8y_X4LlOLVZsP-0lt4h669Dl-4MRUYYx44VPGfaK6Q=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5BiF_TMwtskWNhIbNcedaf1fd4b7REf4yjiMW2eMzISpwjiiL0HxCxSKIOdTXR7dKQetPLMmXYt_Oeg56Q2KZsjnjtztS11zlG-s0OjT7YGJrOH_q52xy9wN0hOks0seBN9rMQholSheo8Aea4-XMtScs7nAWORDOrKDwj1-7WKL7XaJVRR9L_uLJ9w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaS3l6dP43JqSI4SaBfkvVo6-bs5nfcWhJAZl1pVPMphGTdVaryJippJiqFzR9SoAtDsIF3QgnRSwyAKYhsO3FFHnxDlFiAKfAueNMpf6YvR808fDCnqGcDO_hK9c23X73n1PKoSyMGl8i6LFnewHxj-CFgukY4mVgGEdWcsRg4kL7rXUWZgfQIUE51w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaS3l6dP43JqSI4SaBfkvVo6-bs5nfcWhJAZl1pVPMphGTdVaryJippJiqFzR9SoAtDsIF3QgnRSwyAKYhsO3FFHnxDlFiAKfAueNMpf6YvR808fDCnqGcDO_hK9c23X73n1PKoSyMGl8i6LFnewHxj-CFgukY4mVgGEdWcsRg4kL7rXUWZgfQIUE51w=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">How is that for TOO CUTE ENTIRELY?! RIGHT?! I know!!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So we were able to fill up the last spice, and it was a true delight, as is using my lovely rejuvenated spices to make good food to share with all my Lovies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you Rob. Very special Christmas present indeed. He noticed, sigh...I am a lucky girl indeed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Namaste, and do check out nuts.com because they have lots of other good stuff too!</div><div style="text-align: left;">~Jen</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-16141603843863259802021-12-31T10:42:00.006-08:002022-01-01T19:09:47.584-08:00A Completely New Way to Count Blessings!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikpvegaqKeKefVbvcthUeAmgQaXzDkFuaK9J8owHEgzKoOV-6ZnOfxfe7UncfYSzo9thNVZYhJvANvVrqqCw3oJuvv4eCtH9B33UhHUcOspvp5h5FXVzMPXp0AyaDQqleKvhbcFEmcGhKqOh530mM5Q4nfPkSGI3c_0D6mTlBw3ui8J3r5qump6P4spQ=s3872" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikpvegaqKeKefVbvcthUeAmgQaXzDkFuaK9J8owHEgzKoOV-6ZnOfxfe7UncfYSzo9thNVZYhJvANvVrqqCw3oJuvv4eCtH9B33UhHUcOspvp5h5FXVzMPXp0AyaDQqleKvhbcFEmcGhKqOh530mM5Q4nfPkSGI3c_0D6mTlBw3ui8J3r5qump6P4spQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Nature's Smile by Jessica Novak<br /></span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"></blockquote></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thought I might share this, for those who might be interested in trying it. My beloved Celestial daughter was much on my mind and in my heart these past few months (January 9th is her transition day). And this came to me, I think she helped to send it to me XO! It's one of the ways she helps me to find myself again : )</span><br /></span><div><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #134f5c;">So I was enjoying looking at our lovely Christmas tree before going to bed last night, knowing we'd take it down today and remembering all the lovely trees we've had over the years. And a thought came to me: What if I could walk through a forest of all the beautiful, sparkly, beloved Christmas trees we've had over all the years?</span><p></p><p><span style="color: #134f5c;">And then my imagination took over and I had some real FUN! I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote down what was streaming through my mind, and came up with what I call </span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">Counting My Blessings:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">What I'll Do When I Get To My Heaven</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">(Because Heaven is a place, to me, where imagination is unlimited and comes with immediate results, and I'll need plenty of stuff to do, right? So I wrote this little list, and after I looked over it, I realized it was like capturing some of the most beautiful blessings I've experienced in life, and being able to do them in a new way, without the limitations we experience on Earth. What FUN!)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll walk through a forest of all the Christmas trees I ever had all dressed up in their ornaments and lights.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll walk through a camp, stopping to visit every campfire I've ever sat next to, and talk with the people there who spent time with me.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll visit every waterfall I've ever seen and sit by each one as long as I like, with the person of my choice.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll walk through a forest of every tree I've ever climbed and climb each one as many times as I like, like a monkey, no fear of falling, lol.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll go to each high place I've ever visited and enjoy the beautiful views again.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll walk on the beach with every animal I've loved and play and run, and sit and cuddle with them, all my pups and kitties and some horses too, and maybe even bears because I just love bears.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll sit on every porch I've ever visited and chat with my friends or tell stories again.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll visit with every artist I've ever admired and watch them create.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll put on each of my favorite outfits I've ever had and prance around in them, remembering how good they felt to wear, no matter how old I was.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll hold hands in a big circle with all the people I ever loved.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll replay every time I ever danced and feel the joy of it again.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll meet each artist who ever made something that delighted me and listen to their story about it.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll re-experience every loving kiss I've ever given or gotten.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll peek in and watch my Lovies as they received any gift I ever gave them that they loved.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll re-experience that first bite of every food that delighted my senses.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll re-experience every hug that ever made me feel loved.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll replay every time I laughed.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll hold hands with myself at each age of my life, a big circle of my selves at each year of my life.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll re-watch every sunrise I've ever seen and feel the hope and beauty in each new day.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll re-experience each of Nature's storms that made me feel so much more than alive.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll spend as much time as I like smelling all my favorite fragrances again, including my dog, who smells like brownies and marigolds, and my favorite wild roses that smell like spicy pepper.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll enjoy every twilight I've ever loved, when the sun turns the Earth to gold and the fireflies come out.</span></li><li><span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll listen again to every time someone told me I love you and every time I told another I love you.</span></li></ul><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">This was a really fun exercise. Try it and though your list will be different, I bet you'll find it makes you feel really good inside! It's a great way to close out this year and welcome the New Year XO!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Namaste,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">~Jen</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div></div>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017454390441443449.post-5842142486994336062021-12-24T00:22:00.005-08:002022-01-07T11:04:29.288-08:00Spirit Visitors Xmas 2021<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf0vb2od7NgzAjfuMVTNesp8_3kp8cLzBmlVU3cLcBLnATgm_j_6Y70qs0yeGyZbvd1kDzXHTe0DhQtSG0m2igRXDMO71NLaovJFidrzPowW9YM7qlvjyI3QXWom_aEdcqGFgXBz5qQ_fY06JXjrQcgS8xznzrjLivDgUE22aE_QQcJP_OAG3GuUhcfg=s3840" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf0vb2od7NgzAjfuMVTNesp8_3kp8cLzBmlVU3cLcBLnATgm_j_6Y70qs0yeGyZbvd1kDzXHTe0DhQtSG0m2igRXDMO71NLaovJFidrzPowW9YM7qlvjyI3QXWom_aEdcqGFgXBz5qQ_fY06JXjrQcgS8xznzrjLivDgUE22aE_QQcJP_OAG3GuUhcfg=s320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">MAGICAL visitations XO!</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><p></p><p><span style="color: red;">Best laid plans of mice and men, etc. Well ours got shot all to smithereens this year, as I would guess many others have been too, and my heart is with you all. Wishing many blessings your way XO!</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">We had planned to have kids coming to stay with us and visit from Washington DC, Berkeley Ca, and my lovely son and his wife here for the first holiday in eleven years after their return from South America, so very much to enjoy and look forward to. Menus planned, lists written, presents bought and wrapped, everything ready.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">BUT Rob's son's wife's brother contracted Covid for the second time, he'll recover, but his son and wife decided not to travel from California because the mother had an anaphylactic reaction to her first vaccine so had to do Johnson, which doesn't protect from the variant, so they're not risking her health by flying and being near at holiday time. When it hits home we pay attention.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">Other son is military and says FEMA is moving things into place bigtime, preparing for the upswing that's already happening, so he's needed at work, and also doesn't want to expose us to anything.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">So we quick packed and shipped to Washington and California, and wonder of wonders, the packages all arrived before Christmas, thank you postal workers and all involved!</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">And my son's wife has recently come down with Covid, tested positive, though she's doing "okay," feels more like a cold she says (she's had her vaccines, yay), but we won't see them even through the New Year. </span></p><p><span style="color: red;">We are being flexible. Counting our blessings, chances are excellent that they'll recover, and they're young and strong. Made chicken soup today, and delivered it along with ginger ale and coca cola and saltines and applesauce, what I could eat when I had Covid last year before they even knew what it was.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">Wrapped their presents and will do porch drop-offs to the kids and family, no contact, OUCH!! I am so missing my peeps!!</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">But the magic of Christmas is with us. See, that photo above is interesting because we have some beloveds who've transitioned to what I call True Home, and yet they're with us still, checking in and sharing their love. That white light you see comes from no other source of light in the house or camera. I'm pretty sure it's sweet Jess swooping in with all her exuberant energy and Joey Max, our totally beloved kitty who recently passed, and most likely my Dad. Those two beams coming down gently. </span></p><p><span style="color: red;">So we feel the presence of those who've passed, their love, and we feel the wonderful blessings of being able to give, which I enjoy most about Christmas, to our Lovies here. And Rob and I will have a very quiet holiday season, playing games, like backgammon (I challenge anyone to try to beat me), and parcheesi, and BaseCamp Cards, in which we learn so much about each other.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">And we MAKE the moments bright and loving. Because we CAN. So we DO. </span></p><p><span style="color: red;">I hope everyone's holidays are full of love, ours feels full of love even though very different from what we expected.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">Make each moment special, because that's true treasure indeed. Love your Lovies all you can in all the ways you can figure out.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">All the loves coming your way, now and through this new year too.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">Namaste,</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">Jen</span></p><p><br /></p>Jen Berghagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973717048727971117noreply@blogger.com2