Melting Ice

One more ice storm came through Memphis a few weeks ago, everything was frozen for 2 days and lots of damage from fallen trees caused widespread power outages. Luckily my house never lost power, and I was able to enjoy the ice for its beauty. A similar ice storm happened last year around the same time, but I hadn’t gone out to see all the branches encased in ice.

I went for a walk in the forest the day the ice began to melt. The sounds and sights were mesmerizing – and dangerous! But I had to experience it. Everything looked like crystal, shining in the sunlight. Found a few familiar trees I’d always admired on my walks, sadly fallen from the weight. Weeks later, uprooted trunks and piles of branches along the roadside are still visible.

But that walk was so refreshing, it helped me.

…I was sick for a week and a half before the ice storm, also couldn’t celebrate my birthday (Jan 30). I just laid in bed and watched rainbows cast from the crystal hanging in the window, move across the walls. I slept a lot and had horrible body aches the first few days. The day before, I’d taken my dogs out for a long walk – it was such a beautiful morning, little did I know… Then my Orchids bloomed for the second time since I’ve had them, which made me so happy.

It was the sickest I’ve been in a long time, I don’t get colds/flu often. (Avoided it as long as I could, the dreaded Covid… I tested myself and didn’t go anywhere until it came back negative.) Now I’m taking Mullein along with a few other herbal supplements to keep healing my respiratory system and strengthen my immune system. Being healthy is a real task, it isn’t easy, especially in this toxic and contaminated society we live in.

I wonder if there’ll ever be a forced shift away from the fake and processed, plastic world – I know there has been awareness for years and people want to be environmentally conscious, grow their own food etc. but it is so difficult to get away from the traps that indebt us to the way we exist. It’s not all bad of course..

Convenience and comfort have come a long way.

I also wonder if people were ever able to take pictures, the way we do now.

I’m curious about the slowed-down, simplified approach to existence. Something lost to most of us. Ancient megalith building, being able to identify plants, the stars, telling stories through songs. At what point in history were things really healthy? Well, no use daydreaming when the day we have is already a dream come true. Life is a miracle and it took millions of deaths to get here.

Every moment is another speck in the vast universe. Every breath another measure of our longevity. The sun and moon never stop, Earth keeps floating – the divine miracle continues. We’re all a part of it.

Staying connected through nature, music, painting… focusing on how good life is.

Thank God.

Spring is approaching and soon I’ll be working on a project at the horse stables, helping organize and plant a horse-friendly herb/flower/vegetable garden. I’ve been doing some research on which plants are safe and easy to grow in the composted soil containing ‘horse gold’ …

Here’s what I’ve got so far:

I’m really excited to design it.

Got a bunch of seeds and goodies for the garden at the store – there were already so many colorful flowers, can’t wait to see more again.

Wishing I had a greenhouse to fill with exotic flowers and all sorts of herbs and plants… I’d specialize in all the different varieties of Passion flowers and Orchids.