this moment

We are planting our peace pole this weekend.  You can be part of this special occasion by leaving your message of peace here to be planted with the pole.

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Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

Wishing you a weekend full of peace!

flurry

A few miles north of us has gotten some flurries.  The snow kind.

Here our flurries are of the activity kind as we prepare for our upcoming Peace Pole Planting.  Lists are being made.  Leaves are decorating the planting spot.  Holes dug.  Cooking.  Baking.  Cleaning.  Surprises in the making. 

We are so very excited to have many of our friends and family coming to join us as we plant this most special reminder of peace.

Please be part of this special gathering by sharing your intention for peace.  It can be a hope, a prayer, a message.  All intentions will be part of the ceremony and planted with the Peace Pole.

Love and peace,
Claudine

preparing for peace

We are getting ready to open that very special box that has been tucked away since my having received it for my birthday.

Inside is a Peace Pole.  Some people haven't heard of that before. 

I grew up seeing Peace Poles in various places.  Schools, churches, communities.  As a young girl I took for granted that they were part of every landscape.  I have since learned that they aren't everywhere.  So I feel especially honored to spread the message of peace by planting a Peace Pole.  In our very own yard.

We've picked a special spot at the edge of the woods.  A bit visible from the kitchen window, a little more so from a comfortable chair in the yard, but to see the Peace Pole in its entirety, you will be beckoned into the woods.  Bringing with the short walk a chance to breath deeply, and envelope yourself with the glorious world God has given.

So we are preparing for our special planting this weekend.  Part of which will be burying personal intentions for peace along with the Pole.

We are inviting friends, family, neighbors, and you dear readers, to share with us any intention for peace that you would like to have included with the planting of the Peace Pole.  It can be a thought, hope, or prayer.  It can be a personal need of peace, a particular situation, a specific person, a more global desire for peace.  Any message of peace that you have is important and will be included.

You can share your message or intention as a comment on this post, or it can be sent directly to me by e-mail at becomingclaudine{at}gmail{dot}com.

We look forward to becoming part of the world-wide community that promotes peace by spreading the message May Peace Prevail on Earth.  We look forward to including your message of peace.

With love and peace, always,
Claudine

weekending

Somehow among the whirlwind of weekend activity, I found myself with kiddos following the urge to create.  Oh happy day!

I have found it pretty tricky when Squirmy is awake to attempt any sewing, so that makes this bit of time on Saturday feel extra special.

I've been resizing the comforter from my bed -- a wedding present from ages ago -- to fit Buddy's twin size bed.  A win-win because I still love the fabric, but enough worn spots made it unusable for our queen size bed.  But with the worn spots cut out enough remained for his bed.

And it was Buddy's idea to sew a matching pillow with the bits left over.

Lovey was content practicing with the pins and pin cushion.

Munchkin started a pillow...

Then Squirmy woke up.

And wanted to get in on the action himself.

Soon, my son.  Someday soon.


Joining the lovely Amanda for weekending.  Stop by and see her.

this moment

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

Wishing you a weekend full of grace and goodness!

gathering

A trip to a farm over the weekend was just the right balance of roasted corn and ice cream, pumpkin picking and corn mazing.   So we are nearing a sufficient number of pumpkins on the front walk, and the countdown until they become jack 'o lanterns is underway.  But for now these pumpkins are gathered together with the mums and corn stalks.

The fall is bringing gathering of all sorts.  The leaves finally gathering on the ground.  According to our neighbors, our trees tend to be the last to drop leaves.  But it is beginning and it feels and smells and sounds like fall.

I've gathered some art supplies into a basket.  I've been finding them spread throughout the kitchen.  Seems they need to be there.  So I've gathered them into a spot they can stay, at least for now.

Every time we empty a jar of homemade grape jelly another is usually immediately opened.  A current favorite is a dollop of the jelly goodness onto plain Greek yogurt.  This year I canned more than double what I did last year.  I'm already scheming to double it again next year.

That yellow ball.  That yellow ball.  That yellow ball.  Munchkin has had it in near constant motion this week.  A one-man soccer game in the front foyer that lasts hours.  If I am understanding his running commentary, he plays for a powerhouse team called "The Dingos."  Seems they can easily score 1,000 points.

Of course planning for gladsome is well underway.  Now that will be quite a gathering.

In the meantime,  Honey and I are planning another special gathering.  This one at our home, to plant our Peace Pole.  Yes, Honey is the king of cool birthday presents.  The King.

There's been some tie dye.  A much needed late-night-Mama-date with a dear friend.  And night after night of Netflixing all five seasons of Parks and Recreation.  All.  Five.  Seasons.  Oh, hello life, nice to have you back again.

And hello to you all.  Hope you are gathering goodness of your own.

this moment

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

Wishing you a weekend full of grace and goodness!

in my kitchen

:: Double batch of double chocolate chip cookies.  Packaged up for my sweet, talented niece who came to visit while on fall break from college.  (Yes, she is studying art.  And women's and gender studies.  She's cool like that.  Watch her in action here, amazing.)

:: A fresh stock of flour in the cupboard.  Eleven 5 pound bags in all.  I've settled into a pretty steady rhythm of baking bread once a week.  Eight loaves usually gets us through the week, with a couple to send out into the world with good wishes.

:: Art supplies have migrated from other spots in the house to the kitchen.  They've been here for days and seem to be multiplying.  Funny that our daily living in this space has determined where things belong, even more than were I unpacked and placed items.  Seems art supplies go in the kitchen.  So I'm thinking about ways to at least corral them a bit.

:: Enough chill is in the air that our chili season has begun.  After the long summer of not even thinking of the savory dish, it is when we cook our first batch of chili in the fall that I realize I've missed it so.

:: Some entrepreneurial spirit coming to life around the large kitchen table.  This craze has taken hold of the kiddos.  Creating is creating I say!

:: Some creating of my own.  My gladsome file is growing, and details are coming along so well.  The weekend is going to be simply amazing!  If you live in or near the Great Lakes Region you should be considering this gathering with other cool women.  Create a little, reflect a little, and connect a lot.

:: Been looking out the kitchen window trying to pick the perfect spot for my new Peace Pole.  Soon, it will be installed and we are holding a special gathering and ceremony.  Details soon on how you too can be involved!

:: Dancing.  There is always room for some music and dancing in our kitchen.

What about you?  I hope that you are having some warm, yummy, fragrant life in your kitchen too.

weekending

Last week was hard.  Really hard.  From A to Z, from top to bottom, from inside out.  Especially from inside out.  It felt like I spent most of my days holding my breath and holding back tears.


I got to Friday afternoon, and slowly exhaled.  As I waited for Honey to come home from work, I sat near an open window, drinking a fresh cup of coffee, flipping through the new IKEA catalog.  It felt good, and strange.  When I sit it reminds me how little I sit.  This must change, I think. 

The weekend was good.  Busy too.  We inched a bit further on some house projects.  (Oh, if we could just race instead of inch!)  Honey and I wandered Lowe's - sans kids - for over two hours.  Two luxurious hours.  Then we ate a sushi roll in the car and called it a date.

We had very un-October weather.  So why not play in swim suits?  It isn't every fall you can rake leaves and have water play at the same time.

I begin this week remembering to breath.  Breathe deeply the chilly air.  After all, the rain last night brought October up to speed and I'm wearing new wool socks and a sweatshirt.  All the while remembering our weekending...