tim

I love this guy.

He hadn't wanted his picture taken anyways.

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lately tidbits

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*photo by tim

july is upon us

July is upon us.


A second cup of honeyed milky decaf earl gray
and a satisfyingly full list of errands to run,
to take me out of the house.


I am charmed by birds collecting prayer threads,
by virtual farewells,
and imperfect yet perfect polaroids.


I cleaned up our 'Spare Oom'
yesterday and sat in much-needed stillness a few times there.



what's of special note in your life lately?

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chocolate beet muffins

Today the chocolate beet muffins came out again. I am passionately fond of these muffins.

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red-spotted newts and wild roses

red-spotted newts
wild roses by the creek
hummingbirds in the woods
using rocks on the guy wires
because the pegs were wrapped in tim's tent at home
a bonfire till midnight passed
lightning as we tucked ourselves into the tent,
rain in the night and one tiny hole in the ceiling
which dripped a few globules of crystal
a mossy green morning with coffee and tea
and a slow wood hike in a drenching downpour
till our clothes were like a second skin

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camping with impending rain

On the drive to the campground we followed a winding detour through wooded hills and pulled up short behind a car stopped in the road. We thought they were watching something and sure enough, over in the field next to us was a fox peering from the undergrowth ~ he walked out and moments later was followed by two lush kits who frolicked for ages on the grass, frisky as puppies. I've never seen fox kits so close for so long. The father had an atrophied leg which he held up but he was quite athletic and seemed unhampered by it. He had raised two healthy kits bursting with life.


We had such a fine camping anniversary and thank you so much for your comments and responses to our wedding photos! I had been wanting to share that day here but was waiting for the right time.


x brooke

we had a solstice wedding four years ago today

tim brought me yellow roses, my favorite, that morning

so I carried them as my bouquet

the solstice was happening at 6:06 pm

so we had the ceremony at that time

we had a wonderful bluegrass band

and they learned our favorite music, tweaking it bluegrass style ~

neil young, jim james, jimi hendrix, bob dylan

we walked up the grassy aisle hand in hand

to my morning jacket's "just one thing"

donovan carried the rings on his collar and ran up the aisle,

saying hello to all his people friends on the way

we had the sweetest officiant and she blessed the rings

I love that she wore purple

when I was saying my vows I got choked up

and couldn't speak, and she kept whispering

the next line in my ear

that is a temporary tattoo on tim's arm

that he had from the music festival he attended

for the entire week before

neither of us saw the other's ring

until we put it on their finger

a lot of us were barefoot

I wore pants because I like pants best

and I've never dreamed of a wedding dress

the top was from Anthropologie

the earrings were borrowed and blue

I forget what the "old" thing was

we were married in a tree park and took a short stroll

right after the ceremony to be alone and gloat

happy solstice to you and your loved ones




xo  brooke

photos mostly by my mom and my cousin leah

happy solstice!

somer

My friend Somer and I chatted today about her quest for a tent. Her first tent, to be ready at her beck and call for future adventuring, solo or accompanied. Having a tent is having a key which opens possibilities and ventures into the unknown, yet it is a haven in a strange place. I have had my tent ever since my mother surprised me with it after my first semester of college. I have had it for 14 years. Tents become a part of you. If I am packing for camping I will always pack my tent, but if Tim begins the packing, his tent will find its way into the car instead. We're a two-tent household, and we each feel best and most at home in our own tents.

I think it's important to know that about someone. 

I have two apple crisps in the oven, filling the house with their cinnamon scent. Six round, glossy granny smith apples I purchased at the co-op this afternoon (in between the bank, the thrift shop and the library) are nestled under a crust of brown sugar, butter, nutmeg. There will be one to freeze for later and one to eat up tomorrow for breakfast and then for after-dinner dessert.

Somehow I stumbled across Francis Ford Coppola's The Secret Garden. Maggie Smith is the housekeeper in it ~ she is one of my great favorites. The book is wonderful too as I re-read it. Do you have any old childhood book favorites? I just read all of The Borrowers and they are indescribable.

I also wanted to say that I have been treasuring all of your comments and encouragement lately, and I know I have been noticably lax about getting back to each of you. I usually read them more than once, to get the full flavor, and to enjoy this online community and all that we share in common. It often makes me laugh out loud in happiness. I want you to know that even though I have not been responding as often, I am reading them and loving them and appreciating them.

I have also decided to deactivate my facebook account for the time being, so I'm not in that space anymore ~ it was frittering away my tendrils of thoughts, so hopefully they will come together and be distilled more often in this space.

Thank you all also for the lovely anniversary wishes!

x brooke

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cardigans at dusk and solstice plans

All day I've been working on little things,
eating watermelon, and finally tidying.
I listened to this interview with Cary Grant's daughter
on what it was like growing up with him,
and I've been dusting and clearing space
for beautiful collections like this,
walking the dog ~ every little yappy dog is out today,
and that little boy who patted her quickly before I could tell him
that Lucy is shy with strangers.


Tuesday is our anniversary of four years
and we are going camping for one night
and this morning at our favorite brunch place, eating quiche lorraine,
we planned.


We don't do much for our anniversary,
because we don't hold back on fun things on most days in general,
but we try to always cook something delicious and from scratch that day.


We're bringing our one-person canoe,
and I think I may not bring any books to read at all,
just plan on sitting and thinking and letting everything
get worked out in that stirring-together-ingredients
kind of way it does when it's not being distracted.


I may bring some Mary Oliver ~ I savor good poetry slowly and look up often, so that doesn't count.


I'm so happy it's summertime (almost)
and just the right temperature
but still cool enough for a cardigan at dusk.


We'll have a fire on the solstice evening,
and may possibly go river-swimming on the way home.


And I think I'll bring chocolate cake.

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studio

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chamomile and meandering walks

The turnips are blushing in the earth, ready to be plucked and mashed, and the chamomile is flowering heartily ~ I pick what blooms each day, to dry for tea.


I still need to plant beets and basil ~ do you grow anything in your space?







There's the polaroid still cold from the freezer where I popped it to pull out that wonderful purple.








I've been waking earlier in the mornings and sometimes sit out in the backyard reading ~ I can't wait until we have some real land one day for me to do something with.



I've also been taking meandering walks, just around block or down the street, for no reason but to get some fresh air ~ and when I saw the neighbor's just-washed white laundry out the other day, I turned straight for home to get my sx-70 and snuck a shot as I walked by, hoping they wouldn't see me out the window.









That polaroid charms me in so many ways.



Tim gets home tonight, perhaps sooner than I had even hoped. It's just not the same around here without him. I like my solitude but things are becoming tinged with hues of lonely.


When lonelieness comes stalking, go into the fields, consider
the orderliness of the world. Notice
something you have never noticed before *



I came across that piece of poem this morning, and I do plan on a little field-walking, a little orderliness of dish and sheet and home. Tim and I have begun looking for a new used house, something old or different, with land ~ trees and birds and as many windows will fit in the house; a place to grow a huge garden, with no thought to tidiness. Room for chickens and perhaps, eventually, a horse, bees and berry bushes, fruit trees ~ and Tim has requested a space just for chopping wood. I want a white garden to sit in at dusk or midnight, and bat-houses, woodpeckers and orioles. We are so limited here, although we have done so much. I feel ready to hatch out of this tightening chrysalis. This picture makes me dream ~ these houses are so inspiring.



I have been distracting myself by skipping through these closet visits (I may add reorganizing my jewelry drawer to the day's plans), and think I may need to polish up my occasional braids a little bit. There are always some terrific polaroids out there as well ~

one, two, three, four, five

And I wanted to share two posts which have encouraged me lately ~ liz's post on noticing, and maddie's on being out of sorts and clearing space. That last touched me especially ~ what do you do when the chocolate and the "positive outlook" aren't working? Lately I've just been chugging onwards, trying to be appreciative while noticing what I have, and waiting for that tide to turn.

* the leaf and the cloud, mary oliver