Mile Stone

On April 18th I turned 30. This is very interesting to me because there is a subtle shift I can feel happening inside me.
Let me explain. I have never put much stock in age as a number. I am really close to my gram who is silly and wonderful. My mom can kick my butt she is so strong. The people in my close family generally don't "act like their age". They have wisdom that comes with experience but they can be as silly or carefree as a child, too. I have met children with Wisdom of the Ages and met men and women old enough to be my grandparents who haven't the sense they were born with.
In general I tend to forget my age because it has never made much difference to me. I am who I always was, just more so and with more experience to know when to speak up and when to lay quiet. This subtle shift I feel is not one of "growing old" or "leaving childhood"...it is more like an acknowledgment of moving on to a different phase of my life.
On my ankle I have a tattoo of the Celtic symbol for the Triple Goddess. The Triple Goddess represents the three stages of womanhood; Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Even long before I discovered this symbol in Scotland, I had a certain affinity for the idea it represents. To me it give equal strength, power, and reverence for all stages of Life. Not just the youth or the mother but also to the wise Crone. Our youth obsessed culture has forgotten the wonderful treasure of our older generations. And, sadly, many of our old have forgotten the lessons of the young.
While I have no children of my own (unless you count my two furkids :), this shift is a sense of feeling more in tune with the Mother than the Maiden. I don't think of the Mother as just one in the literal, fruit-of-my-loins sense. It is much bigger then that and my time as Maiden was so tumultuous that it is only in retrospect that I see, acknowledge and honor that time.
I am so excited for what each new day offers! Don't for one moment think I mourn the "lose of my youth". That's a load of crap. I didn't lose anything. I have gained everything. The difference between me and so many others is that I am not holding on to any part of my Life as the "best time". When I was little so many people told me it was the best time of my life. I thought they were nuts. Sure I liked being little to some extent but I can't say I'd truly like to go back because I now get to make ALL my decisions! How cool is that? If I want brownies for breakfast I can and have done it.
When I was in my mid and early twenties, another many people lamented the passing of their twenties as the best time of their life...hmmm...the twenties where great. Lots of wonderful things did happen to me...but they are done. Why lament their passing? Everyone grows old. Everyone dies. It is part of Life and I am not going to waste any part of my Life sighing over the past or fretting about the End. Bring it on! :D

Interestingly Enough...

...I really liked this film. I found out about it on the Black Apple blog. She will often put posts about books she read or films she saw or shows she went to. I love her art and I've read all her back blogs and I feel like I have a lot in common with this blog (I don't say person because I've never met her, though I would certainly love the pleasure). She didn't write much about the film in her blog and there was only little more in the Netflix write up, but between the Black Apple's recommendation, a key word in the Netflix write up and this movie post picture, which I love, I decided to get it. It started out a bit slow for me and my DVD player started to act up not to far into it but today I finally got around to watching it through and I was stunned. There are many elements about the film that I found depressing but the story, interestingly enough, managed to leave me feeling heart warmed and hopeful at the end. The character of Eli was handled so well. She was presented in a matter-o-fact way even when she was doing extraordinary things. I don't think I can recommend it enough but with that being said it is most certainly NOT for everyone. It is a bit disturbing, make no bones about it, but still very good.

what else can i say....Giraffe!

I love giraffes. I don't think this is a love that many people know about me. I don't have any pictures of them around my place and I don't think I've ever gone googly over one in someone's presence...but...I don't exactly know how I've escaped it. They are such weirdly cute animals. I just love the way they lope across the grasslands and don't even get me started on how cute I think they are when they are eating! Oh, love. *sigh*
p.s. ...I have a bear in the works that is inspired by this fella.

Oh, What a Cutie!

I am totally diggin' this little fella! She also has a Dragon Skeleton Fossil I could truly live with. :)

Ahoy, Me Mateys!

Here is my new Pirate Bear. Isn't he cute? He is one of those bears I've had the idea for for a loooong time. I had an idea what I wanted to do but as is often the case with me, he morphed along the way.
If you look closely at his boots you'll see that they have a lil' boot cuff! How cute it that? Yeah, the cuffs are my favorite. Oh, and his earring is yarn, so he is safe for all ages.

In other news, guess what I discovered I like? COCONUT SHRIMP! Yes, I said shrimp. For those readers who are not friends or family, I haven't been much into ANY seafood for many years. I did like smoked salmon when I was little but I don't any more. About five or so years ago I discovered I do like halibut in moderation. Then a few weeks ago Jim and I went to dinner with some friends at a tapas restaurant. One of the foods we got was the Coconut Shrimp. And, yes, yes, I did in fact like it. Now I am still not a huge fan of shrimp. I am a huge fan of coconut. I know it was the sweet sauce and coconut and not the shrimp so much because we went to another restaurant last weekend and got coconut shrimp...i didn't like it too much. The sauce was too spicy and the shrimp was too big. So there you go. My picky like of coconut shrimp.

Yummy!

Don't these look yummy? I found them here. I haven't had a chance to make them yet but they seem like a great little treat for a party or tea party or get together. I have some friends coming over this weekend, I think I'll make them then. If I do I'll hopefully post some pictures of what I make for you all to see the yummy-ness. I was thinking maybe coconut cake with strawberry frosting...and chocolate outer frosting? Sound good?