don't worry, darling, spring will come again

This week I have been annoyingly perky. Some good things are happening, but also spring has arrived in this neighborhood. For those of you still in the death grip of the polar vortex, I apologize. May this post bring you hope that you too will feel your fingers again while outside. 

I love to read The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett in the spring. Mock as you will, but you spend three winters in the gray of lansing michigan, and then tell me what you do to make it through march. Reading about mary and colin was on the very healthy end of the spectrum of ways we made it through the dreaded season of slush.  

"Things are crowding up out of the earth,' she ran on in a hurry. 'And there are flowers uncurling and buds on everything and the green veil has covered nearly all the gray and the birds are in such a hurry about their nests for fear they may be too late that some of them are even fighting for places in the secret garden. And the rose-bushes look as wick as wick can be, and there are primroses in the lanes and woods, and the seeds we planted are up, and Dickon has brought the fox and the crow and the squirrels and a new-born lamb."

Doesn't this make you want to be in the English countryside frolicking in the gardens? And see persnickety children come alive and lose their brattiness because they are digging and playing in the great outdoors? 

No? Okay, fine, be a debbie downer. I told you I was a little too perky this week. For the last few weeks, I've been living with my friends in a quaint little place off of piedmont avenue. Flowers have been bursting into life lately, and inspired these photos called "the blooms of piedmont" 

These photos are available in prints right now. Cards for all of your spring event needs are coming next week....Before we know it, mother's day, baby showers and the wedding season will be here. And april fool's day - one of the very best holidays of the year.  

For more information, go to the paper + sky facebook page or feel free to email paperandskycrafts@gmail.com. 

Happy spring! 

Back to The Golden State

It is crazy to believe that a decade ago, I made the 3,000 mile trek across america to california. I remember being so nervous to navigate the maze of freeways after driving in rural illinois and so unsure how I was going to make it in LA. Although it was quite the learning curve, the golden state did creep its way into my heart. It's been fun to be back and discover new places and reconnect with old friends. 

Here is the idyllic Marin Headlands....almost like Ireland if you squint a bit and imagine a Guinness in your hand. 

It is amazing to me how beautiful the golden gate bridge is.....you would think that after a few times, one would be blase about this view. But, alas, like the norwegian fjords, you can not be blase about the golden gate bridge. It is ridiculously stunning in its simplicity. 

We spent a gloriously warm day wandering around the city. It's so interesting to walk between the neighborhoods and be transported from china to italy in a few blocks. Apparently there is this thing with wild parrots in the city, which I am going to investigate further. There is something about san francisco that makes you want to find out about weird things. 

These two have graciously taken me in as a vagabond....even giving me a shelf in the bathroom, which I do not take for granted. That is no small sacrifice. I am exceedingly thankful for all the friends along the way, and all the ways they have served and loved and encouraged me. This adventure would not be possible without them.  

It Is the Road

 A few weeks ago, in the heart of colorado, i found myself climbing the hike in the photo below in the early hours one morning. It became a pilgrimage of sorts, because I definitely wasn't in good enough shape to be doing it without feeling like I had to drag myself up the mountain. Somehow, I made it to the top. Fortunately, it was well worth the effort. 

As I was journeying up, this quote kept going through my head and pushing me forward. 

“This life therefore, is not righteousness, 

but growth in righteousness, 

not health, but healing, 

not being, but becoming, 

not rest, but exercise. 

We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” - martin luther 

Along the road, (the literal road west), I had so many conversations with people who are dealing with the reality of this broken world, many tears shed for the confusion and harshness and sin and shame encountered while trudging through this life. And I so badly want to snap my fingers and make it okay, to erase the need for a process of pain and suffering and growing. 

But I know life doesn't work like this, and we will not be what we shall be until we are in a different world. And then, we will get to dwell with God and be free to live as we were created to. But for now, I'm trying to be thankful for the road, for the process, for the healing and becoming, for the glimmers of hope when my heart loves God more than myself. This is not the end, but it is the road.  

 

 

Perhaps my favorite road of all time, even if it isn't surrounded by world-renown spectacular scenery. But it's the road where almost everyone knows your name. 

 

 

 

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The Girl & Her Map

the open road, one of my favorite places. my friend leah and i recently braved the polar vortex by driving across america in january. risky business. but we actually stumbled upon great weather and spent many of our days exploring the great outdoors. many friends took us in along the way, making for a delightful tour on the great trip west. 

i found this 1970s pontiac guide to america and talked leah into letting me pose her in some strange places to represent each state. my goal is to do all of the states, but i don't know if she can take that much more travel with me. we might need crates of snyder's honey mustard and onion pretzels to make it through that trek. 

* the girl and her map * 

* illinois *

* missouri *

 * kansas *

* colorado *

* new mexico *

* arizona *