Day Girl/Night Girl......in pursuit of Clarity

I was recently introduced to the books of Penney Peirce........

and while perusing her website.......this concept popped up.........

Present Moment Practice

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I serve my future self.

Let your "morning self" do something thoughtful for your "evening self" and let your "evening self" do something beneficial for tomorrow's "morning self."

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I saw comedian Jerry Seinfeld on the David Letterman show late one night and he was giving a hilarious rundown about how he sabotages himself. He said that "Night Guy" likes to stay up late, party, drink a bit too much, and eat pizza. Then "Morning Guy" has to get up early to be at work and is exhausted, clogged up, and rushing around making lists and getting organized. Night Guy thinks Morning Guy is a wimp and Morning Guy thinks Night Guy is a jerk!

After Jerry's all-too-true description of our schizophrenic lives, I started to think of myself as Morning Girl and Night Girl, or Now Girl and Future Girl. Morning Girl often forgets to exercise and take the vitamins that Night Girl needs, and Night Girl sometimes forgets to brush her teeth or put her clothes in the hamper, which leaves Morning Girl feeling churlish. So I started pretending that Morning Girl was doing favors for Night Girl; she'd change the bedsheets or take a brisk walk. Night Girl would in turn wash the dishes and leave the sink clean. Morning Girl would make the phone calls and Night Girl would organize the piles by the phone. Now Girl helps Future Girl by always putting the car keys in the outside pocket of my purse or closing drawers after she opens them. When your day and night selves, your present and future selves, work for each other's good, eventually you'll know the real self, or soul, that underlies and fuels both.

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Excerpted from The Present Moment: A Daybook of Clarity and Intuition by Penney Peirce

Seeing Blue..............

There is always one thing that never ceases to explode my senses like driving any road out of the little town I live in......

Last weekend.......as I pulled my nose out of this tiny house.........

I turned my car 'Shirley' East and then North.....and then West...........

and before I knew it... we were facing the snow dusted Manzano Mountains.................

As as I drove through them.....toward Albuquerque....

I was thinking....

It seems last year this time........I was feelin' blue...........

and in contrast.........this year.........

I am

SEEING it........

Green Chile Chicken Stew........

As we got to know each other with caution........we both declared that 'we don't cook'.......and that has 

become our trademark.........

as we don't cook.........

And in honor of another 'end of the season' Football Sunday............

and a New Mexican Tradition

we'd like to share our.....

'We Don’t Cook' Green Chile Chicken Stew

Ingredients

2 Large Chicken Breasts, cubed & dusted with flour or Wondra

1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon oil, for frying

1½ tablespoons flour

3 medium red skin potatoes, diced

½ cup chopped green chile, to taste

1 can of Italian style stewed tomatoes, chopped

1 can of whole kernel sweet corn, drained (or 2 cups fresh off the cob)

1 quart chicken stock

Season to taste with ½ teaspoon cilantro

Salt and pepper

Cooking 

1. Preheat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and chopped onion to saucepan. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or so.

2. Add potatoes, green chile, tomatoes, corn and chicken stock and stir. Bring to simmer and cook covered, until potatoes are just tender, 20-30 minutes.

3. Add cilantro, salt and pepper, then taste.  Correct seasoning and add additional green chile if desired, no more than a couple tablespoons at a time and simmering for one or two minutes after each addition before tasting.  Remember that each batch of green chile is different in both flavor and heat, and it's always better to start small and go bigger, because there's not a lot you can do to tame a volcanic green chile stew.

Serving

Serve in bowls with fresh tortillas.  Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, or additional chile as desired.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This recipe was inspired by the The Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Silence........

Even for me, the silence of my blog posts is deafening.........

With all the hubub of the holidays and what followed I am drenched in solitude.......and loving the silence......of puttering......and thinking......and clearing my mind......doing small overdue chores......tending to once thought tedious paperwork........that becomes simple with a clear mind........one of clear purpose........

So that's what I've been up to........quieting my mind......cleaning.....attending to legal issues.....all possible with new love in my heart.....and a great healing that took place with my family on my recent trip to be with them.......and what a great start to a new year........

And with that calm.......I'm being lured into catalogs from Penland and Shakerag......once again....as they do ......send them out on the most blustery of days......so we can dream of making things in their bits of heaven........

Today as I accomplished quite a bit in the correspondence and legal department.......I dropped off some boxes at the shed I use for a studio, to see if the temperature was workable.......it's been fridgid here and there is no heat there other than a space heater......and it was...workable...so that is good.......as I hope to be back to work next week......after I go into the city........

to drop...... 

(pardon the pun)... 

off my treasured laptop at the Apple Store

.....and have it synced with my new one.........

which will no doubt keep me busy and frustrated until it is fully up and running........

So toodles and ta ta.........and have a wonderful weekend........

and

Please take a look at India Flint's little blog about a workshop she is giving at Beautiful Silks in Melbourne

.....I LOVE the name of it....

the workshop and the image of the dress I have in my mind.....or the way of dress.....

be inspired.

The Talisman Dress.......

555........

Among many much appreciated messages from friends....sending condolances and wishes for a Happy 2012........I received a note from a friend........wondering about the significance of the 555, three little birthday cakes in my last post......and that sent me to Doreen Virtue's, Angel Numbers 101 to look it up.

And what did she have to say?

555

"Huge changes are rumbling throughout your entire life! To keep these changes on the highest possible course, be sure to keep your thoughts positive, and stay centered in prayer and affirmations."

Well, gee......no kidding about the huge changes!  And a nice reminder about positive thoughts, prayers and affirmations.......

My morning affirmations go like this.....

After saying,  "I love you Marianna", preferably into a mirror, a la Louise Hay.......and my good friend who doesn't like to be mentioned.....very good advice........and very difficult at first....but works beautifully.

OK......after that......I say........."I flow easily in Change, I flow easily in New Directions, I flow easliy in New Experience"........then I say.........."I trust in the Process of Life.......all that I need is being taken care of, I am Safe."  and then.........I say........"I am perfect, whole and complete. I am one with Source".  I added the last one recently.....and it is so comforting to hear.....and personal to me.....would be different for you....

So that is how I do it......and I have to admit I did that every morning for almost two years.....and once I made my  move to where I live now.......I slacked off a bit.......but now I see it's good to keep saying them.......and perhaps adding another verse........

And now you know I believe in Angels.....and Louise Hay....and affirmations....and take advice from wise friends.....and I can say that has changed my life.

Tomorrow I'm off to Houston to rekindle relationships with my sibs and their kids and figure out a way to memorialize our Dad.............using the words of my sister, "in Forgiveness, Acceptance and Love."

Need I mention she is also an Angel?

And it must be noted, we are not 'Texans'.  Another story.....I digress......

Be back soon.......with more focus on Clarity and Acceptance.........and with the inspiration of that email I received today..........a committment to long walks.........for clarity......

Admittedly easier with a Dog........which I don't have......

Oh and the real significance of the three birthday cakes, for those who don't know...........my delicious grand daughters three turned 5.......on the same day I was also born........and I am driving that stake into the ground because I can and it seems important.......birthdays never meant so much until now....!  And a profound Thank You to their Mom and Dad for making that possible!

A Gift.........

December has been a busy month.......

it began with the news that my father passed.....not unexpectedly

........and that event blended into a journey to where I began,

 to embrace family 

and celebrate... 

December birthdays......

and that blended into coming home....

 to where I live now

......to 'pass through' my post office and pick up held messages and packages.....

and then move on to the place of new friends to celebrate Christmas and now cross over into the
New Year...........

all a seamless flow now........

dreaming of landing long enough in one place to make a mess making things........

and as I opened my cards......

and parcels...

this lovely gift.....

from two friends......

the 'giver' and the 'maker'.........

brought such JOY to my heart!

to know that in this life I am so blessed to have friends...

givers, and makers and makers who give.......

 who are connecting with each other in the most important ways........

I give thanks to all of you and feel the JOY of our connection....

which was, as I look back to my ramblings of last holiday season.....

my goal for this year.

To experience JOY...and I have.

And for the record, as I reflect on this year and look forward to next.....

the word that seems to keep surfacing is.....

CLARITY

Wishing all of you a very very Happy New Year....

filled with Peace, Joy, Abundance and Good Health!

Mosaics......

Just released!  

A beautiful and inspiring book....

Mosaics

by Elizabeth Atkins-Hood (my friend Bid) and Elizabeth 'Joy' Bell

 ....whom I had the great pleasure to get to know on my trip last year to New Zealand.  They join the ranks of more than a few of my friends who are publishing wonderful inspiring books!

This book is filled with beautiful photographs of their work and those of others who have inspired them......with tips and projects that will be sure to inspire anyone who has ever had the urge to 'nibble' at glass and tile.......

and how timely....

since.....

our little town has imbarked on yet another public mosaic mural project 

This one depicting the town's history and surrounding flora and fauna....

my contribution is the floral in the center....

(a loose interpretation of the 'globe mallow' by a western newcomer!)

and this mural......

will be quite large.....

as always...

requiring many hands to make it!