I found myself, for a week, without internet. A week where I felt disconnected from this strange online world, where so much information is the end of our fingertips. The ability to check in on the lives of those who live at different parts of the world. Where we can get pulled in, sucked in. Where we can be connected. After that week I found it hard to step back in, because it felt good to be more in the physical world. To be more present, to be more creative.
To take more walks, where I live, to really notice the changing light, how it adds more warmth, more depth even. To walk more slower. Instead of the pace I use, when I am walking to work, when I am faced with a deadline. I'm not rushing, never rushing. But I do move quicker. Now I have slowed down.
I have slowed down, something I really needed to do. To take more time for me, for my kids. To be creative together.
And it has suited me. Within that time, I have also found time to grieve. To really share some of the pain I have been carrying. Meeting someone who understands, exactly what it is like to watch as your sibling, is eaten by cancer, by the treatment that they received. The horror, the sheer injustice. Why someone, so good, had to suffer so hard. How much that bears on you, weights you down, because you can't unsee it. You carry it with you all of the time.
I found some relief. Some release. Being with someone, whom you get just let go, let some of my grief go.
From that, to waking up at 5:30 a.m, to get to the piece of land that I am caring for. The designated watering hours are from 6. So I found myself, in the dark, opening the gates up, to allow the Acequia water to come through. In the dark amongst trees, just as the sun came up. In my happy place. Walking the land, listening to it. Hearing the birds chatter and the insects start up. Feeling the sun energize me, as it rose. Breathing it, all in.
One of my favourite places to be, is amongst trees. When the wind is blowing, gently. Just enough to hear the sway of the branches and to smell the scent of them. To lay on the earth and look up. To humble myself. To ground myself. To slow down once again. I so needed to slow down. I don't know how many posts I wrote, about how busy my life was. Too many. I was starting to feel burned out. Then I had an intense week, of making decor for a festival, that I was working for. Which is why I found myself without internet for a week.
I was told there would be, but when I got there, there wasn't any and I ended up being unable to curate for the wonderful Ladies of Hive Community. I'm not in a position to turn down any work at the moment. So when I was asked to provide decor for the amazing Loves Pirate festival, I jumped at it. Because as well as getting paid, I was able to bring my girls for free, whilst also being fed. A working holiday it was, a holiday that was very long overdue. Plus I got my kids involved in helping me make the decor, as well as two other friends. Tentacles, I wanted to have random tentacles, coming out of the ground. Plus seaweed, jelly fish, pirate flags. Big project, but we done it.
That's some of the creations, in the picture up above.
All the images, you see, are mine.