potted beauty

from here

succulents are so lovely.

dreaming of green

from here

here is a bit of back yard i dream of. old bricks, wild greenery popping out everywhere, clotheslines, and a breeze.

today i worked a bit in the container garden i'm developing. Saved seeds from the last few years, a fortunate pile of dirt in the back yard, and old plastic containers from purchased plants. there is no thrill like the first glimpse of basil, cilantro, or mint pushing up quietly but with determination through the dirt. i love my plants like children. (hopefully when we have kids i will love them more!)

i think i shall begin posting more frequently with photos of beauty that makes me tingle. i need it!

wild irish tree

taken in 2007

shoes--my obsession

I've been extremely picky about shoes for as long as I can remember. As a child I was very upset when I had to wear shoes that I felt said something about my personality that wasn't accurate. Now, when I finally find a pair that is just right, I love to be stopped by a stranger who loves them too--a kindred shoe spirit.

Here's a little history of some of my more recent shoe purchases--the more obsessively researched ones, anyway.

When I was getting into carpentry, my new boss told me that the green sneakers weren't really right for the job site. I paid nearly $100 for a pair of very comfortable leather work shoes, wolverines. They were great for a while, and then a year and a half later the soles wore thin and cracked. Now my socks get wet when its rainy.

Lately, I've become a fan of long term commitments to my shoes, so this was a big let down. (Although I'll admit I was never crazy about how these looked--I bought them in a hurry and compromised on style--they were work shoes after all.)

I have a pair of doc martens that lasted me well, but ended up not being as comfortable as I'd hoped, so they aren't getting worn too frequently. I think they were really cute, though.


Another $100 or so purchase was some mephisto sandals which I think I bought in '05 or '06 and are still going strong, probably more comfortable than ever, if looking a bit worn.


Today I was looking at these, thinking maybe Birkenstocks would be a good reliable bet:

But really, I would love to have a pair of shoes made for me. I think I'm going to look for a real live shoemaker!



check out these made by guat shoes


and these too (i'm a sucker for pink or red shoes):



I know there's a huge lack of quality footwear available--I get super frustrated when I discover that formerly reliable brands are outsourcing manufacturing and their products just aren't the same as they used to be. Even the really good names! So I am going to keep looking for a 5 to 10 year shoe relationship in the $100 price range. Maybe handmade shoes will have to wait. Maybe someday I'll make a pair for myself. (Or maybe I'll try to re-sole those wolverines myself since the shoemaker said he can't.)

Story Water

A story is like water
that you heat for your bath.

It takes messages between the fire
and your skin. It lets them meet,
and it cleans you!

Very few can sit down
in the middle of the fire itself
like a salamander or Abraham.
We need intermediaries.

A feeling of fullness comes,
but usually it takes bread
to bring it.

Beauty surrounds us,
but usually we need to be walking
in a garden to know it.

The body itself is a screen
to shield and partially reveal
the light that's blazing
inside your presence.

Water, stories, the body,
all the things we do, are mediums
that hide and show what's hidden.

Study them,
and enjoy this being washed
with a secret we sometimes know
and then not.

--Rumi, the medeival Persian sage, translated by Coleman Barks.