Love me TENder

What's a guy like you doing in a place like this?

sawdust floor
leather vests and chaps
dead animals on the wall
stale beer smell
Johnny Cougar on the jukebox
the room is hungover from the night before

My old friend
haven't seen you in a while
same bright smile
falling inside your kind eyes
big bear hugs

I go outside to say goodbye
only to see you riding away
hog between your legs
wind at your back
happy smile on your face

Back inside
my mom is there
she hands me a shiny dime
in the shape of a heart
Isn't that interesting?
she says




 

I love the things that Julian says

"You're funny, Nana.
But if someone is 100 times funny, then they're just weird."

10 Secrets to Raising Your Vibration

Ten Secrets to Raising Your Vibration

by by David Wolfe

It is great to have little reminders helping guide us on our path wherever we turn. The following 10 secrets are little reminders, they are things we already know and are always inspired to hear and read more about.. By incorporating these 10 secrets into your daily life, you always enjoy more vibrant energy, true joy, abundant prosperity, and exceptional health.

1. Plant Seeds. The most fertile soil in the world is found in the human mind. Seeds are karmic substances: they have a potential and a destiny. If you wish to reap a different destiny in any area of your, you need to plant new different seeds today. As you think so shall you be.

2. Set Goals. If you are not working to achieve your own goals, you are working to achieve another’s goals. Set goals which challenge your brain to think in new directions. Write down your goals with tremendous clarity and intensity. Goals backed by faith will get you there.

3. Have Faith. Faith is the ability to have trust in powers greater than yourself, to stride into the unknown with confidence, and to believe in your own abilities—no matter what. The stronger your faith and clarity, the quicker you will set yourself into the Divine time flow where one is always in the perfect place at the perfect time. Get out on a limb; you will discover that is where all the fruit is!

4. Guard Against the Negative. The opposite of faith is fear and doubt. Doubt stops the full expression of your life potential. Faith is the one power against which fear cannot stand. Be strong and fear not, for strength of deed and sincerity of character will prevail over all obstacles.

5. Trust Your Intuition. Your intuition is the greatest tool you were given to help you navigate through this world. Trust it and use it. Nature will guide you towards growing and achieving the greatest levels of happiness if you simply tune in, listen to, and act upon your intuition.

6. Eat Sun Foods. We are what we eat. Eating plant foods transfers the vital Sun energy directly to you, undiminished. Raw plant food is truly the most perfect food for human consumption. A purification of the diet supports self-healing and radical whole-body rejuvenation.

7. Breathe With Intention. For more vibrant and fresh energy, start breathing with greater awareness. By altering the intensity and frequency of your breath you can calm, cleanse, awaken and rejuvenate your mind and body. The more oxygen available to your cells, the more energy you have to accomplish your goals.

8. Move Your Body. Daily exercise and stretching are essential to excellent health. Moving your body circulates blood, moves lymph fluid, distributes nutrients, cleanses cells and strengthens your body’s systems and structures. A physiology of vibrant health leads to an enhanced mental, emotional and spiritual states. Practice yoga, martial arts, dance, sports, or anything that keeps you moving!

9. Do What You Love. You are endowed with a unique gift. Turn what you have in your heart into something others can enjoy and you may use your rewards to live an abundant life spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially. Remember that wherever your heart is, there too you will find your treasures.

10. Smile. The most attractive thing you can do is smile. Like the Sun, a smile brightens the entire day. Smiles are not just seen they are felt and have a profound and immediate effect. The vibration emitted by a smile is warm, friendly, inviting and best of all it is contagious.
The power of your thoughts, a gentle endearing smile, a confident stride, and a knowingness of your place in this world are all vibrations that define who you are. By raising your own vibration, you alter the vibration of others and the world around you. A great transformation in a single individual can alter the destiny of the human race. Now is always the best time to rise above, to make a difference, to profoundly change the world by starting with a few shifts within yourself.


http://www.thesmartwitch.com/

Things I've Learned From Walking The Dog

I find myself back in Healdsburg, for the third time, house and dog sitting for a lovely couple who are about my age. They travel a lot and this time they are in Panama for 2 weeks.

I really like coming to their simple, comfortable home and taking care of Coco, the crazy Pit Bull Corgie. I like the town of Healdsburg but even more I like the surrounding wine country and the open space in the hills where Coco and I spend part of each day.

Coco is a complicated soul. She's an angel trapped in a body that doesn't work well on many levels. She's pissed off a lot of the time and I can't say that I blame her. As a result she doesn't have many friends.

This time around, she is sulky and won't eat. She decided to show her discontent by tearing up the outside couch the day before I got here when she was left on her own.

Coco really is a dear girl and I love her. I hope she has an easier time next time around. That is if we do get a next time in the big scheme of things....

Coco and I walk each day and I learn a lot about life.

On our walks out in the beautiful natural surroundings of Healdsburg, I find I have to work hard this time to stay present. I let the leash get too long and my mind wanders off; have to remember to call so-and-so, have to make that entry in the spreadsheet I'm working on, did I make that bank deposit? What should I have for lunch? Maybe I should run down to that cute little coffee shop for a latte today....

I then remember to reel it in. To be in the present moment. To witness the layers of leaves crunching under our feet, piles of gold, red and brown, signaling the Fall season that is here in this present moment. I remember to listen to the birds overhead as they guide us on the trail. Cackling and talking about what's going on down below. I stop at my favorite old Madrone tree with is smooth red branches, old as time, it seems. She has a lot to say too. I watch the trail of ants marching along the trunk. The ant gang is busy in their day getting ready for the rainy winter that's sure to come.  I hear a rustle in the dry grass and look over to see four curious deer watching us. Ears perked, eyes wide. Deer in the headlights. Two squirrels chatter on the other side, taunting Coco. With a low growl and getting ever lower to the ground, she thrusts her 50 pound body towards them. With a yank on the leash, I try and reel her in. She is definitely living in the present moment....

Thank you for the lessons you teach me, Coco. I hope we have many more walks together in the coming years.

Number 43

Drink more water!

Mr. Lovett

Last weekend, I saw Lyle Lovett perform at the Deer Valley amphitheater along with a several hundred friends.

It was a beautiful evening that started out with fierce winds and intense rain. The weather report said that the storm would pass and hoped it was right as we sat in our car in the parking lot eating our picnic dinner. We arrived early in order to get good lawn seats. We had all we needed, except for additional layers that may save us from frost bite in the mountains of Park City.

This is probably the 15th time I have seen Lyle in concert since he came into my life in 1989 when I heard songs like "Here I am," "Nobody Knows Me," and "I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You." I revisited the first two albums and fell more madly in love with "If I Had A Boat", "L.A. County" and "Give Back My Heart". Lyle was pigeon-holed as a country singer during those times but with the release of Lyle Lovett and His Large Band in 1989 it was clear that he was so much more. Blues, Jazz and nothing but class. He was different. Really different and I adored him.

As the rain cleared on this August night, we found spaces with our folding chairs very near the front, next to the place that was blocked off for those with handicaps. The guy in charge of the space told us he would give us the "all clear" signal a half hour into the show if no one showed up to claim the grassy area and we could move as close as the front row. And we did.

No matter how many times I have seen Lyle perform, I always get a little giddy just before he takes the stage. He is a presence there. A smooth, tall drink of water with messy - and now a little graying - hair. His trademark. It's not as big as it once was but still a standout feature on his tall, lanky body.

The Large Band takes the stage first, every one dressed in dark suit, white shirt and tie. They play the intro - The Blues Walk and then Lyle comes on, smiling his wonderful, crooked smile, taking up guitar and starting with a slow, burning version of "Black and Blue" from the second album. 

Lyle fans are cool too. They are older - 50's and up and they know how to have a good time. Even the guy next to me who thought he had to drink straight vodka all night and dance until fell down - he knew all the words. Just hope he remembers what a great time he had :-)

Lyle  and The Large Band played, talked and sang for three hours. One of the very best performances in my experience of him. He just gets better with age. Like a very fine wine indeed.

Thanks Lyle, for your important words and for playing the soundtrack of my life for more than 25 years.

The Joy of Giving - From Five Year Old Eyes

On a 98 degree Monday, Julian and I decide to go to the local pool, one I have never visited before. When we arrive I am overcome with nostalgia. It feels like the pools I used to go to as a kid, where you can get candy at the concession stand, take a break from the sun at a picnic table in the shade, jump off the ancient looking diving board or play ball in the kiddie pool where you can easily stand up.

After paying our $6 admission, we change into our suits and hit the pool. There are water slides into the 4 foot pool and we head for those first. I am a little stunned that the way up to the slide is a platform climbing situation, instead of user friendly stairs. Julian is at the top in a heartbeat and waits while I hoist myself to each platform. I don't think I'll be a doing a lot of water sliding today...

I go down first so I can help him when he comes gets to the water. I feel like Alice in Wonderland as I fit myself into the kid size tube, but once I begin to slide, the world is a red blur. In seconds I am shooting out of the hole, into the water. Sunglasses flying, ill fitting swimsuit top slipping....I'm laughing as I gather myself and tell Julian to come on down. In a second he shoots out the hole like a banana out of the peel and goes under. I grab him and pull him up and his eyes are wide with surprise. He didn't think it was going to be such a fast ride either.

We spend the next several hours playing with an orange ball we got at the dollar store, going from kiddie pool to big pool and him laughing as I do a wobbly cannon ball off the wobbly diving board.

Later we are relaxing in the shade, eating hot french fries with delicious thick pink sauce, sipping cool water and talking about what a fun day we're having. He asks for some Starburst candies from the concession stand and I give in. I know he's spent a whole lot of energy today and maybe a little sugar is ok...

He opens his brightly colored candy stack and there are about 12 gooey cubes, individually wrapped. He tells me he wants to give some to the kids he was playing with in the pool and I watch as he offers them a treat. They smile and say thanks. Julian looks around and sees other kids and runs to them with an offer of candy. He goes around the entire pool, giving some to the teenage lifeguards, the Hispanic family at their table, the pre pubescent girls in tiny two piece swim suits, the toddlers in the kiddie pool. The whole time he has a big smile on his face. He comes back with one candy left, sits down to unwrap it and pops it into his little happy mouth.

I wrap my arms around him and give him a tight squeeze. "That was so great, Julian," I say. "Doesn't it feel good to share with everyone?"

"Yeah," he says with a sugar coated smile. "It makes my brain feel good."

Number 44

Spend time in the Amazon with indigenous people, learning, growing, expanding...

The Things that Julian Says...

As we are walking through a parking lot and a car goes whizzing by way too fast:

"Hey man! Slow down for Grandmas and little boys!"

Number 45

Write the book I dream about....

Number 46

Longing to go back to the healing island of Bali.....

Number 47

Create my own organic fruit, vegetable and herb garden from which I produce at least 60% of the food I take into my body.

Number 48

Create a healing, sacred space where people can come to dance, write, draw, practice yoga, play music, meditate, and BE.

Number 49

Celebrate Tulip Day in Sweden.

I want to lay down in the middle of that color and be surrounded by the stupendous beauty of millions of tulips!

Number 50

On the countdown of 50 things I wanna do:

#50. Buy a small motor home or travel trailer and take Julian on lots of adventures. And Anicah too when she's big enough to pack her suitcase :)

Preparation for the not so big 5-0

As I prepare to turn 50 in six weeks or so, many thoughts ramble through my mind.

50. Is this what 50 looks like? I have to say I'm pretty happy about it. I don't feel like the 50 I have thought of most of my life. That is until the last 6 years or so, as I've edged closer and closer. I've marveled at all the very cool, very young 50 somethings I know. 50 isn't a bad thing, as it turns out. It's a pretty great place to be.

I've thought mostly about how I will mark this wonderful occasion. What are some of the most memorable things I can do to make this another memorable day, in the many memorable days of my life? I would like to be on a camel in Morocco. I would like to be in a temple in Bali. I would like to be among the ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico. On a beach in Hawaii. Or in a home in Utah surrounded by the most important people in my life. As it gets closer I realize I don't need to travel far to a far off land to turn 50.

I have no negative thoughts about it, thank goodness. No resistance. Only happiness that I am here, in this place in my life. I have much to be thankful for, that's for sure. I have been to a lot of places, met amazing people and had more experiences in the last few years than most people do in a lifetime. I consider myself a very fortunate soul indeed. But I'm not done yet....

I've decided to make a list of 50 things I want to do in the next year. No matter how silly, how big or how small or how far fetched it may be. I realize that we all create our own reality and nothing is impossible. We'll see how it all shakes out. Stay tuned....

Healdsburg Revisted

I find myself in Healdsburg California again. One year later. Me and Coco the crazy pup.

Her parents asked me again to come and stay while they work and vacation in Europe. I was happy to be asked. It's quiet and lovely here. Coco gets me out on long walks in the hills and it feels like home. She didn't want to go far at first. We would get only a block away and she would sit her heavy body down and not move, except back toward the house. I was bummed out about this because the walks were so healing last time. Each day we got a little further from the house before she would change her mind. I would coax her along, telling her she was doing great. Just a little further, Coco....

After a few days we were back to our old 2, 3 and 4 mile hikes in the morning or evening as the sun was setting over the beautiful Dry Creek Valley.
Coco and me.

I don't know what it is about this dog. To anyone in the neighborhood who knows her, she is mean and vicious. Barking at anything that moves and looking like she will tear you to shreds. Her bark is deep and scary and her teeth sharp. But she is a kind soul inside a troubled little body. She was rescued and who knows what her life was like before.

She is very protective and she takes care of me. I feel completely safe with Coco.....but we don't make any friends with others while out on our walks. I am busy holding her heavy weight at the other end of the leash so she doesn't bite someone or something...dogs behind fences drive her completely insane. She twists and turns and one time got off the leash and was throwing herself at the fence trying to get the big beast on the other side. It was terrifying. But only because I couldn't get the leash back over her head....I'll have to ask her owners to invest in a harness that she can't get out of next time.

We roam the trails in the open space just a block away. Up the trail behind the church and onto the dirt tracks. Through a silent grove of skinny redwoods, a sacred opening in their center. A very peaceful place. Up the trail, straight at the crossroads and onto the "All The Oaks" trail. It's a narrow dirt path that winds through a beautiful hillside, oaks, madrones, redwoods, butterflies, deer and birds keep us company. Coco drags me along, faster than my little feet can go. I ask her to slow down with a tug of the leash. She slows her step for a few moments and then picks up the pace. We come back down and across the hill for a quick swim in the pond. She is so happy to jump in and swim around like a miniature hippo. She finds a stick for me to throw and we play for a while. She makes me laugh out loud. We both love it up there. We stop for a sip of water and maybe a snack and are on our way. She begins to tire and stops at each spot of shade. I tell her we're going home. Her ears perk up and she's ready to go.

It's been a lovely time here in HEALdsburg once again. I'm very grateful. Until next time, Coco.

On writing

The stories already exist somewhere in my reality. They arrive at the doorstep of my mind and invite them in. I sprinkle them with my own brand of herbs and spices and put them out on the baking sheet of white paper with the faint gray lines. I bake them at a nice slow temperature until they are just write. It's a playful game. I smile as my pen flits across the landscape and I feel grateful that my hand and fingers work. Typing on the computer is so different. It puts a barrier between me and the words. With my pen I paint and draw and flow with the rhythm and time. Maybe like composing a piece of music...although I never have. 

Haemophilus influenzae

You snuck in on little cat feet
Quietly poking at my feet, my back, the knuckles of my hands
With a warm-hot poker
I'm not sure what's going on

I thought you went away
But no
You came back with a vengence
Sitting down on my chest
Crushing my skull
Sucking the moisture from my eyes
I'm so damn tired

It hurts to laugh

Ok I'll entertain you for a while
But it doesn't mean you can stay

I make the room wet with steam
from the boiling pot
I chop fresh ginger root
and lemons
I rub oil of lavender, rosemary, cilanto, and olive
Into my skin
I drink gallons of tea
and fresh water

I hear what you have to tell me
But now I think it's time for you
to tap dance
on down the road