From Tulips To Tropical...

Q:WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE A FRIEND INVITES YOU TO THEIR HOME IN A TROPICAL PARADISE?

A:  YOU PACK YOUR BAGS, AND HEAD OUT ON THE NEXT PLANE AVAILABLE...

Which is exactly what I did when my friend B. invited me to stay with her at her beautiful family home in Mexico

Its quite remarkable how life can change on a dime, 11 days ago, I had no idea that I would be booking a flight to leave the cold and grey of the Pacific Northwest (where we are all longing for the elusive spring weather to show up.)  And now, I find myself here,  in the tropics enjoying fabulous 82 degree temperatures, lathering myself in spf 30 sunscreen sitting under giant "palapas," drinking chilled hibiscus tea by the gallon fantasizing about what life would be like to live somewhere sunny and cheery, warm and colorful everyday....?  Sort of like when our family went from having a black and white t.v to a full technicolor t.v in the 1970's... (it was a radical shift for us!) 

See what you think...

Looking over tiled roofs, Orchid and Palm trees to the Pacific Ocean...

Surfing all day till the sun sets...

Afternoon tea in the shade of an Orchid Tree...

Plants that bedazzle...

And flowers that bloom year round...

Its easy to see the allure, this is a very special place.   

As I sit and listen to the flocks of the dearest little green parrots arguing as they fly over the house and sip my iced tea, I feel layer upon layer of stress falling away.

This place is working its magic on me and I feel a healing taking place... - So glad my friend asked...

So glad I said "YES."

With love, 

from Mexico.

Neinah

Tulips...

At the moment the local markets are filled with myriads of brilliantly colored tulips, making me believe that Spring must have arrived... - surely???

But then, just a few days ago, as I drove to work and left a few pale shafts of early morning sun behind me, I found myself driving into a snowstorm...!  Thankfully it was short lived, and a little later in the day, the sun came back, making me appreciate all the more those short sweet little sunburst moments... AND tulips because they are exquisite harbingers of spring, and their multitude of colors brighten my day (regardless of what the weather may bring.)

So, dear ones, in celebration of spring (which is just around the corner,) here's a lovely poem for you and a few more photo's to brighten your day...

Love,

Neinah

Tulips

BY A.E. STALLINGS

The tulips make me want to paint,

Something about the way they drop

Their petals on the tabletop

And do not wilt so much as faint,

Something about their burnt-out hearts,

Something about their pallid stems

Wearing decay like diadems,

Parading finishes like starts,

Something about the way they twist

As if to catch the last applause,

And drink the moment through long straws,

And how, tomorrow, they’ll be missed.

The way they’re somehow getting clearer,

The tulips make me want to see—

The tulips make the other me

(The backwards one who’s in the mirror,

The one who can’t tell left from right),

Glance now over the wrong shoulder

To watch them get a little older

And give themselves up to the light.

A New Sacred Place...

Peace and Quiet

Yesterday I visited a gem of a place on this little island.  My friend Dianne  who is a fabulous fountain of fascinating facts relating to feminine awesomeness http://www.femininefaceofmoney.com/ and all round cheerleader and great friend, recently told me about this place, and recommended I check it out.

Despite living in the area since 1993, clearly, there are still wonderful surprises that I have yet to discover about this corner of our world.

This little park, has a great and healing atmosphere with its exquisite views of the water, under-stated asian style landscape -  that doesn't distract from the natural beauty that surrounds, but also lends a person to go inside and experience ones own inner landscape....

Everything has obviously been done with so much care and thought... here's a few more photo's so you can see what I mean...

A wise owl welcomes visitors...

A smiling fox (or bear) beckons..

A Tibeten Prayer Wheel... look at the detail...

Surrounding the base is this quote...

"Faith is the daring of the soul to go further than it can see"


This was such a treat, and my first experience with a prayer wheel.  It's presence added great tenor and quiet import to the park.

As directed, I slowly turned the wheel nine times clockwise and said a prayer, on completion of the ninth turn the sound of a deep toned bell resonated from within the hollow wheel, its vibrations moved inside me to my core.

Sitting down, I was able to receive a respite from my over active mind and just be at ease with myself and the world - at least for a little while...

Needless to say, I plan to visit this sacred place often.

Finding My Way Home...

For the past five or six months I have been struggling to write and be creative and reach out.

Its as if my creativity has been held hostage by my emotions...   These past few months, I have experienced loss, betrayal, heartbreak, moved homes, had niggling health issues and little by little my appetite and love of writing, photography, blogging, cooking, art have been edited out of my daily life...

During this time of heartache, it would seem natural to by kind and gentle, to feed myself tender morsals of  inspiration, little truffles of delight to coax myself back to my center,  back to my alive and vital self but rather, I have struggled - literally my heart just wasn't in "it" - or anything for that matter, and rather than nourish, I have starved myself of expression.

When I started "A Year Of Finding Love," I really thought that I could write every single day about some reflection of love..  some might say (naively) that I didn't plan for those little moments when the road of life hits a pothole or two, and gets messy, or someone you love dies... I didn't take into consideration the impact of life's "little circumstances"  and how they might throw me off course for months on end...

But here's the ironic thing, denying my creativity is also the same as denying myself the opportunity to create myself back out of the world of grey-ness - its my escape ladder when the house is burning down... - I just figured that out - like... today!!!

After months in this state - and seeing no end in sight I've decided to tell myself in the immortal words of Cher in the movie "Moonstruck" (to Nicholas Cage,) "SNAP OUT OF IT" (I decided the words are enough and no, I don't need a slap across the face to grasp the reality of it all - remember - I'm going to try and be gentler with myself...)

So, I am going to try and find my way back home I hope to post something most days, energy allowing. The posts may not always be amazing and in fact be less than brilliant, but it is after all my practice to find love, and by allowing less than perfect,  I hope to find love for myself.

With Love and Appreciation

Neinah

What To Make On A Cold & Rainy Day...

 Well, here in the Pacific NorthWest, March has come in like a lion..., cold rainy, blustery days, we've  even experienced the occasional explosive thunder clap or two...

Neither the dogs or I enjoy going out in this weather..., in fact, I prefer to be dry and warm (ditto say the dogs,) and in particular on days like these, I enjoy being in the kitchen, making something comforting, healthy and tasty... 

Like this....

Split Pea Soup With Turkey Bacon

Here's the easy recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

.  Olive oil

.  1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped finely

.  2 large washed, peeled, finely sliced carrots

.  1 cup of washed, chopped celery

.  4 rashers of finely chopped turkey bacon

.  1.5 cups of rinsed dried split peas

.  1 tspn. of celery salt

.  1 bay leaf

.  Sea salt &  fresh ground pepper

.  7 cups of vegetable stock

(p.s this can be made into a vegan recipe by omitting the turkey bacon, or simply substituting a smokey tempeh or field roast type meat alternative.)

METHOD:

.  Heat oil over moderate heat, add onions and cook for 5 minutes till they start to look transparent.

.  Add carrots and celery and saute for 5 more minutes.  Add celery salt, and chopped turkey bacon.

.  After a few minutes all the veggies should be looking shiney and par-cooked, add the split peas.

.  Stir the peas and veggies well then add the veggie stock and bay leaf, heat till it starts to boil then 

   turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot, set your timer for 40 minutes (check on it a couple

   of times, giving a gentle stir.)

.  After 40 minutes the peas should be soft and the soup almost done,  season with salt and pepper, 

   remove the bay leaf and puree the cooked veggies and stock.  ( I have a hand held blender which 

   makes this job very easy.)

.  Serve hot topped flavorful, chopped parsley (or whatever your favorite topping might be!)

BON APETIT !

Neinah

We've Been Away For A Few Days...

Guess where we went for a few days???

Need a few more clues???

How about this stately Saguaro cactus?

Or this drop dead view of big sky and red, red rocks?

Yes, we flew to Arizona for a few days and soaked up the sunshine, and on a day trip to precariously perched,  ghost infested, mining town of Jerome, we soaked up the exquisite views, frosted in a layer of recently fallen snow..., it was beautiful, the sunshine, the snow, the mountains, the cactus... did I mention the sunshine??? Oh, and some very tasty chicken and queen olive stuffed blue corn enchiladas with incredible jalapeno and cilantro salsa (gluten free of course..) at a wonderful little place called the "Quince Grill & Cantina." Gosh..., I LOVE good SouthWest food...

Here's some snapshots, to share the flavor of one of my favorite states...

Enjoy!

Neinah

The facade is all that's left of this old building in Jerome.

The Quince Grill & Cantina...(note the icicles on the awning!)

Snow covered twigs against a startlingly blue sky.

The drive home..., sorry to be leaving...

Strange Snow...

Strange Snow

by Neinah Avelin

A strange snow is falling 

around me

broadcast from a 

goose grey sky.

Not the usual 

silent flakes 

but something other.

This snow in tiny 

snowball form 

passes by my ears with 

a quiet hiss 

on their way

to be collected in

mossy twigs,

foxes coats 

and curled and dried

leaves left 

from the fall.