Mother-Daughter Event Marathon

June 11-15, 2015

 When any family member is willing to drive over 300 miles to come for a visit, I find it of the upmost importance that they get a full, rich experience with a good balance between experiencing the local area and rest and relaxation. My mom's timing could not have been more perfect! The summer is booming with activities and things for people to do.

Confession: As I am fully aware that I am leaving Pennsylvania I might have been slightly more motivated then normal to get out and seek new experiences that are hard to find elsewhere.

Our first stop: Longwood Gardens.

This 1,077-plus acre property consists of 20 outdoor gardens and 20 indoor gardens within the walls of its conservatories. Longwood's main conservatory is one of the world's greatest greenhouse structures (according to wikipedia). The conservatory alone is home to 5,500 types of plants including some amazing century old Bonsai Trees! The conservatory also has some wonderful nooks around every corner, a great area for little garden explores, and the most living-lavish hall of bathrooms that I have ever seen!

Of course out of all of the things that we saw and smelt, the one thing that we kept talking about after we left the conservatory was not the full grown trees or the fountains. Instead we marveled at the one thing you would never think to find at a garden: an amazing pipe organ!

The Longwood Organ is a 10,010 pipe instrument designed by Longwood organist-in-residence Firmin Swinnen, a Belgian musician who moved to the US in 1916 and became a prominent theater organist in New York City. The organ's pipes filled fourteen railway freight cars, and they needed a 72 horsepower blower motor to supply the wind pressure; the instrument was one of the largest pipe organs installed in a private residence. Pierre du Pont knew what he wanted and went for it. Mom and I were just touring the conservatory when we first heard it played. We followed the sound which led us to the ballroom. The coolest part is that its pipes can be seen from the rear through glass panels in Longwood's organ museum.

 The gardens outdoors offered great variety with open meadows, fountain displays, and different structures integrated throughout. With the heat beating down on us, places of rest in a nice shady spot where always desired and usually very easy to find.

Three tree houses where also on the property which also made for fun exploring.

Treasure the Moment

Another book layout project is complete. This my first in the memoir category. I am always amazed how these projects turn up and where from they emerge. I often think about how the world has changed in the last 30 years. I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around what those over the age of 80 have seen and experienced in their lifetime: Ration coupons during WWII to digital coupons that can be uploaded to your savings plus card, handwritten letters where personality was expressed through penmanship to text messages that contain phrases abbreviated to three letters or an emoji.

I will freely admit that sometimes I romanticize the way the world used to run. I can imagine doing my hair in pin curls and heading to the local dance club for some amazing live music forgetting that it is probably thick with smoke and my feet are killing me before I even arrive.

Still the stories in this book make me wonder if I missed out on a time when the world seemed to hold more value for the passing moment. It wasn't something that just needed to be moved along. It seems though the moments that pass by are my responsibility to notice. I do have the power to slow my moments down, even when those around me seem to be moving at alarming rates. Thanks Helen Hess for reminding us that "even among the best and the worst of life's experiences, you still find reasons--if you look for them--to Treasure the Moment". I enjoyed the moments spent (well.. most of them) putting a life-long vision of yours into a format that can bless so many generations to come.

Step of Faith: 30 Days Notice

The uncertainty of the future lingers like a thin fog that refuses to dissipate. I have been filling out applications and setting up interviews. One seems to pull the spotlight, then the next moment disappears all together.

Even with all this uncertainty, I have decided to take a huge step of faith. After the greenhouse season ends I have decided it is time to move on. My 30 days notice has been handed in. I will pack the 30% of my belongings that have yet to be packed and load up the new car for its first move. No destination is in place. No job is lined up. Staying just doesn't seem to make sense. The reasons I came no longer exist and life has changed course. Aletheia is heading toward a new phase in life while I seek to find what my next adventure will be.

My time in PA has brought some great adventures, new experiences, and many wonderful people.

As July 1st approaches, I look forward to the closure process as I search for the launch pad of a new beginning. With two addresses, three jobs, and a truck full of new skills and experiences my life has only been enriched during the past two years.

I raise my water bottle to the unknown, beyond July 1st. May the days outside of this house...this place... find new depths of happiness, joy and comfort as I will my feet to step into uncharted territory. Cheers.

The Unfamiliar Familiar

 A journey down a familiar path

Yet how unfamiliar the familiar can be

  In each passing day new colors appear

As the colors of yesterday fade away

 The setting sun's spotlight shines on the smallest members

While illuminating the blended shades of the company as a whole

Springing forth a fresh sense of wonder within me

Ready for Mother's Day

Inside the "Geranium House"

The warmer weather seems to be holding fast as the busiest Saturday of the year approaches: the Saturday before Mother's Day. Sometimes I feel like we have been preparing for this day all season. Tasks focus more and more on deadheading and trimming and shaping making everything look its best. Annually, Mother's Day seems to mark the last weekend before the almanac's last frost date. May's uncertainty always brings some risk for planters. I hope the frost stays at bay for all of those dedicated flower and vegetable garden enthusiasts who have been itching to make their gardens a magical place.

Ashley watering the blooming azaleas

Wisteria blooming on the pergola 

Reflections Part 2: Be Messy Journal

The Be Messy Journal has once again reached outside the pages. I decided to venture out to my favorite nature trail around Stover's Dam to focus on some of the nature assignments in the journal. With 4 different colored crayons and a charcoal pencil, my mission was to get at least 4 rubbings of different kinds of tree bark.

I started walking the loop trail with eyes open to seeing any interesting treebank texture and patterns. One caught my eye so I place the age of my journal on top of the tree bark and started ,y rubbing. As I was finishing, a man walking his dog approached me and asked, "Hey, what are you doing?" So I explained what I was doing and we chatted a little. He asked me why and I briefly explained. "oh interesting," was the parting phrase as we both continued walking in our original directions.

I stopped a few more times before reaching the other side of the lake. As the trail is a circuit it isn't uncommon to pass some of the same people twice walking in the opposite direction. I rounded a curve and once again I saw he man and his dog. As we passed each other he left me know that "there is a really great tree coming up on the left" and that I "should check out its bark." Surprised, I smiled and thanked him as we both continued on our way.

As I finished my hike, I was so integued by the encounter. As a lover of trees and nature in general I found it so fascinating how by stopping and taking notice I caused someone else to do the same; to look at the land around them with a new pair of eyes...even for just one lap. Thanks BMJ.

Unplugged: A House With No Connection

I wrote this in an email to a friend at the beginning of the month:

"This past month has been quite the month as I decided to move out of my house by April 1st as that was the same time frame my roommate was moving out. Through a series of events I ended up not having to leave as my Landlords cut me a deal 9 days before moving day. So now I live in a huge house all my myself where I have 70% of my stuff all packed and sitting in the living room. My life cracks me up. I am also living a life without internet in the house. This has been a very interesting challenge and experiment. More refections on that as the month rolls by...."

Now, it is the last day of the month, and I have discovered that having no internet connection at home has begun this surprising journey of focus and freedom. At first I found the ties of not having the immediate answer at my finger tips to be frustrating and stressful. So many questions would pop into my head or points of curiosity that I wanted to find out more information about. Sure I could phone a friend to find out the answer, but at the same time I want people to remain my friends. As this first week rolled on I learned to realize that the only other option, besides getting into my car and heading to McDonalds because no other place with free wifi was open, was to let go. The information I needed or the desire to know something was just going to have to wait. There was truly nothing I could do about it. 

So by the end of the first week I did the only thing I could think of to bring peace of mind. Thus began the "When I have Internet Access" list. To my surprise this was the open door to the feeling of freedom. It was almost too simple: write it down and move on. No need to wrestle with my lack of information or beat myself up for not thinking of it sooner. I could make note of what was on my mind to do or the spontaneous question that floated to the forefront of my mind and then accept that things would happen when they would happen and the answers would be discovered when I needed to know them. 

This leads me now to my current phase: Extreme Focus. Now when I sit down in front of my connected computer I enter a whole different state of consciousness. My only barriers are technology and time. At the library, the time factor is very literal. The timer shows the passing moments on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen: 59:58...59:57.... If I am not using one of the library computers my time often can be even less as I stroll in after a long day at the greenhouse and only have 30 minutes until the library closes. Facebook's escalating distracting qualities are just not an option. So many other things have jumped to the top of the priority list: writing and responding to emails and researching jobs. Then, with whatever time I have left, I attended to my laundry list of items on my "When I have Internet Access" list that were noted in the meantime or hadn't been attended to yet. 

I am often floored by productivity. If the computer moved as fast as my brain, I truly could conquer the world. 

In normal reality moments, I find myself smiling as I recall and once again put to practice the way the world used to function. I have rekindled my appreciation for the local phone book for it is a true well of information. If I need to know where an area code is from when I receive an unfamiliar hone number, I consult the nationwide area code map in the front of the phone book. When I am baking, I can consult the conversion chart. 

My time connecting to the internet has taken on its own flow and rhythm. You better believe I know all of the local places that have free wi-fi and naturally have another list showing all of their business hours. Who wouldn't? The greatest setback to not having internet at home is skyping. Having a sister and brother-in-law and 2 fabulous nieces and a wonderful nephew Skype is my go-to for connection with them and to look through a special window into their world. Now Skype dates have to be made in advance and I have to be that girl: the one sitting in a hospital lobby talking to her computer. Fortunately, the Lebanon hospital lobby isn't hopping. Still, every now and again I will get some interesting looks. But this is the life I have chosen to lead for this moment at this time in this stage. I have a feeling that as the job search process becomes more and more serious other lessons and moments of create problem solving will arise. Until that time, I will continue to ride this wave of freedom and focus and let myself lean into a deeper trust. 

Broken Pots Have a Place

Like any retail establishment, some shipments arrive with a few damaged items. Flower pots fall deep into that category and all those broken and damaged items have been piling up over the years. This year, the creative genius that oozes out of one of my co-workers decided to use some of those pieces in her annual fairy garden. I just love, love the detail she put into this project: the bridge, the volleyball court, the basketball hoop, fences, and other great nooks. I am once again very glad that I got to see it and appreciate it from the beginning, for as I went and looked at it again today things look a lot different! We will see what the next few weeks will bring!!

Oh and a fun fact - I was able to contribute some broken ceramic to this collection. As I was helping Aletheia back the truck, I set a lamp down on a table sitting outside. A gust of wind came and knocked the lamp of and shattered the beautiful metallic golden base. Those pieces now give great texture and shine to the space around the volleyball court. Redemption to my carelessness.

    April 2nd

    April 6th

    Today

Winter's Loosening Grip

  

I sometimes feel like I have a sneak preview on Spring. A greenhouse is all about making a plant think it is safe for it to grow and thrive with warmer temperatures and consistent care. The world outside still waits for its moment. On my stroll through Stover's Dam today, the brave ones started to poke their heads through - breaking through winter's loosening grip, reminding me that the amazing moments of Spring always begin at just the right time. 

Plant Them and They Will Grow

Frey's Greenhouse, Lebanon, PA

The time has finally come to see the fruits of all of our labor last month! The sea of color is starting to emerge as Bellis, Primroses, Violas, and Pansies fill the tables. Round two of plants is already in full swing. I look forward to seeing all of the changes that each day brings.

Lancaster Greenhouse

Lancaster Ready for Customers

Coming Full Circle at Mel's Diner

51 weeks ago today Aletheia and I moved to downtown Lebanon. After an exhausting move, we lunched here, at Mel's Diner, a local favorite. 

2 1/2 months earlier we had officially launched Space to Spire. After four months of dreaming, talking, planning, and getting all legalized, we were both excited and terrified of having our own business. 

The last 19 months have been full of so much:
--2 moves
--Events in 8 states, offering to churches, schools, individuals and families, universities and seminaries, non-profits, kids and young adult camps, markets, retreat centers
--2 new resources (Visual Prompt Cards, Be Messy Journal)
--Partnering with 3 ConSPIREators
--Meeting so many new and spending time with old friends 

We've been so encouraged by so many of you, offered so much help so often (thanks especially to our lawyer, Mark, our mentors Ken, Steve, Angelique, our amazing house hosts Doreen and Myron, and our families who continue to support us so profoundly). 

So here we are again. At the same restaurant where much of it began.

And the winds of change are once again upon us. Together, we've decided that we won't continue as partners. While Spire isn't going anywhere, it's leadership will change. I will be moving on and Aletheia will be Spire's sole owner. 

Thanks again for journeying alongside of us this past year. We couldn't have done it without you. 

--A and H

Winter Hike

March is one of the more unpredictable months of the year. February has passed and one feels the itch of spring rise within. I feel the need for Spring more than ever; however, there is something so peaceful and truly lovely about a fresh snowfall. It outlines each branch of a tree making you take notice its construction. The normal stroll through Stover's Dam was a bit harder to navigate but it made me appreciate that wonderful place as if seeing it for the first time.

Winter Survival Tip: Crochet a Rug

When facing the chilly days and nights of the Pennsylvania winter it is important to keep your blood moving. One might take to the activity of running in place as running outside on the snowy, icy sidewalks is more of a health risk than a benefit. I for one prefer to find an activity that keeps me moving in some regard while I am safely tucked in some nice warm blankets. Is this really possible you might ask?

My solution this season: crochet a rug. Not just any rug mind you, a rug made from T-shirt yarn. The making of the T-shirt yarn alone has increased my deltoid strength not to mention the arm workout I get from turning the heavy rug as it gets larger and larger. The added benefit too of that heavy rug adding yet another layer of warmth to shield against the drafts that seep through windows as the cold northern winds blow fiercely. This project keeps those days spent indoors much more enjoyable and productive bringing a small glimmer of hope that you may just survive yet another winter and add a slash of color to those grey surroundings all at the same time. Happy crocheting!

Caution: Trying this project in the summer could cause excessive sweating which could lead to dehydration and fatigue. Proceed at your own risk and remember to drink lots of drink water.

Frey's Season 2

A new season is here. The snow still covers the ground outside and the heater rumbles next me. Soon Les will bring in a cart full of plugs to be transplanted. One tray can have over 500 plants started. The first tray of hundreds. Each day has a rhythm and muscle memory has already started to kick in. 

Les and Gloria work hard at feeding tray after tray of pots through the filler. There are moments when I think I will beat them. With only 50 trays to go, I will wonder if I will get to ask to have more filled. Nope. I never get the chance. Like a sixth sense, Less will walk in and start filling more trays when I only have 10 left. After 30 years, he just knows. I am still amazed as I watch him drive a front loader full of soil into this tiny transplant house to put another load of soil into the filler and then back it out again. His muscle memory too has kick into gear. 

At this point I am still working part-time at Hobby Lobby. Having two completely different jobs give the week great variety. I almost feel like two completely different people. I can walk in wearing the same 3 layers I wore the day before here. That is just the norm. Not the case at the frame shop where business casual is required, and so I stroll in looking smart while trying to clean out any remaining dirt from under my fingernails. I try my best to wear gloves, but there is something about feeling the soil and mud and then wiping those dirt hands on my already dirty clothes.

As I plant this year I have decided to try and educated myself. I am venturing into the world of audio books and language lessons. For thirty minutes of my day, one might walk in and hear me practicing my Spanish. I remember thinking last year how much I would have appreciated someone telling me all about the plants I was planting while I was planting them. My wish won't entirely be granted as that specific information is hard to find on an audio file, but I am resolved to believe that listening to a reading  of The Secret Garden while planting flowers will only make the story that much more magical.  

(Insert ear buds) So it begins. 

Mouse Chronicles

The tight budget of this year’s life style has made this winter that much harder. The thermostat is set at a very low temperature keeping the house at the equivalent temperature of a cave. So, when I first saw a mouse scurry across the kitchen floor one afternoon in November, I wondered why in the world he chose our house out of all the houses on the street.

For the majority of November and most of December, I saw very little of him. I assumed he stayed close to the food source whether in my house or the neighbors with whom I shared wall on either side. My lack of attention to him seemed to give him permission to become bolder and more adventurous as one morning I was awakened by the rattling of my trash bag in my room. Naturally I snapped up in my bed. My surprised response caused him to jump out of the plastic bag on the floor and proceed to scurry to the closed door and flatten himself into nothing as he disappear beyond it.

This was the beginning of a long line of encounters with this little guy. I would lie in bed and here his tail hit the radiator as he scurried underneath it. From the comfort of my layers of warm blankets I would grab a dowel rod and start to tap the radiator to scare him away. Was I generating that much heat that he always wanted to be in my room at night? What on earth was in my room that he could possibly want?

One night, I was lying in bed with my head buried under the covers. For a while now I had been sleeping on an air mattress on the floor and often felt like I was camping. The sound of a nearby creature encroaching on my space made it feel like camping even more, and I was beginning to loose my sleep and sanity. I heard the rattling of plastic again. I looked to the door where I had hung the plastic trash bag. But that didn’t make sense. The sound was closer than that and how could he even get himself in there? More rustling. I whipped out the dowel rod and started hitting the floor around my bed. I waited. Again the noise came and it seemed to be right next to my head.

At this point I couldn’t stand it. I whipped back the covers and dramatically sat up. In an instant I heard the little scurry of feet and the ping of the tail along the radiator.

The next day I investigated. I searched for the cause of my sleepless nights and discovered that I was to blame. Next to my bed, hidden under the corner of my pillow was an empty popcorn bag I had left folded on itself. One corner was cleverly chewed spilling out the small crumbs I discarded. Who new that popcorn was part of the mouse palette? I assumed it was just cheese and peanut butter.

The popcorn episode pushed me to get a trap. I couldn’t bring myself to get one of he wooden ones. I had too many memories of previous mouse-catching experiences gone wrong as the trap only caught the tail or the noise of the mouse thrashing back and forth as it tried to escape. Instead a kind co-worker who was completely filled in on my mouse saga offered to let me try one the mousetraps he had at home. This model lured the mouse into a small compartment that had a spring-loaded door that pinned the mouse inside when triggered.

Why not give it a try? I have to admit I had little hope. After a few more episodes of rattling wrappers in other parts of the house the following episode happened while I was texting my housemate in the living room downstairs. The following conversation is not edited or fabricated in anyway.  The several typos bear witness to my haste in typing and surge of excitement. 

Reflecting: My Be Messy Journal

I am not sure why I am always surprised when I start working on a journal entry and realize hours have passed when something brings me back to my surroundings. I am trying to let all that is in my mind flow out while processing the life that I am living at that place and time.

doodle all over

 Taking Notice: Sightings- Mist rising off the snow after a day long soft snowfall

2014 Stats

Be Messy Challenge

I have asked myself time and time again: how is it that I can create a journal that I expect other people to interact with but never plunge into the process myself? How could I live with myself? Aletheia has done some of the pages, what is my problem? I freely admit that I have been attempting this very act for weeks. I would tell myself every Sunday, “Heather you need to do a page of the Be Messy Journal. It is winter. Do the snowflake page. It will only take you like 10 minutes.”

Finally, I found the perfect opportunity to kickstart my Be Messy Journal jaunt. With time and friends on my side, I pulled a journal from a box in my car and asked the Messerly sisters to join me in one of the activities. The task: Start a design or picture. Ask a friend to add to it (or two friends in my case). Continue trading until it is complete.

I pulled out my pencil and drew a swirl. Then I passed it to Ellen who added a star to the swirl. Leave it to Laura Messerly to pull out the crayons, markers, and colored pencils. She just had to add color.

The journal hadn’t even made it back to me yet and something inside me had already been triggered, and not in a bad way. I was completely aware of how I was reacting to each new idea being added by both of them. At the beginning I was curious to see how it would all play out, admittedly caring little about the end result and more interested in the process (how fitting that this activity is in the Process section). I found myself wanting to be challenged. At the beginning, each was adding to the things that I drew. Finally, Ellen took the plunge and added a back-and-forth “scribble” line to a large amount of white space with a pencil. This was a bold move, and caused some concern internally as the picture was already taking shape.

Funny, as I think back on it I could have just picked up an eraser.  I see now that I entered the activity with the mindset of whatever was added stayed. So I took one of those colored pencils and started filling in some of the negative spaces, trying to see past the line to the shapes the lines created.

Hours passed. Ellen did have to leave halfway through, but Laura and I pressed on. 

In the end, the activity did what I was hoping. I found myself flipping through the journal to see what I would work on next. By the end of the day I had created a picture with friends (complete with venturing to the questions on the Spur Trail), interacted with glue and my snow flake scraps, played an intense game of extreme tic-tac-toe, stuck a fresh piece of gum to a page, and had 4 jewels and 3 coins added to my treasure chest.

And so, through the sharing of this experience, the Be Messy Challenge was born. Laura and I made a pact. By the end of 2015, every activity in our Be Messy Journals needed to be complete. I am thrilled to see what will surface during this process. I know that some of the activities will be very challenging, asking me to venture into the less visited places within myself. But that is also the beauty of its design as I have the opportunity to focus inward on one page and then reach out and continue to invite others to play and create with me on the next.

May I take every suggestion on the instructions page to heart as I dive deeper into my creative juices and embrace the messiness in my life.

A Much Needed Adventure

As I was working on my Annual Stat Card (see here, here, here, here, here, and here for past statistics), I discovered that I managed to make it through the entire year without boarding an airplane. Sure I traveled to several other states, but all miles were covered via car.

Unfortunately, I can’t say that I weaseled one flight in the friendly skies before the New Year; however, my adventure meter has been so low that I was bursting with excitement at the thought of traveling to Washington DC to see Fiddler on the Roof via the DC Metro.

I don’t know what it is about the act of traveling that gets me so excited.  I relish in the idea of seeing new places, navigating unknown lands (to me anyway), and using my “street smarts” when I get turned around. I even went as far as ordering a pre-loaded SmarTrip® card so I could board the Metro with ease doing my best to fit in with the locals. Yup, I enjoy the research part as well.

I do have to admit that although the travel part of it all was a good time, seeing the show was a nice thick layer of icing on the cake. The fact that my roommate’s sister (Dorea Schmidt) was part of the cast gave everything a sweet layer of sprinkles, especially as I got to sit next to the rest of her family and experience their reactions.

Being on a round stage made the production more intimate as no one had a bad seat in the house. I am always amazed how such a small stage area and minimal props are used so effectively. The singing and dancing were captivating as well as the much needed wit and charm interlaced through a heavy tale.

The evening ended with dinner out on the town with the Schmidts and an evening ride on the Metro.  I am sure the Metro has lost its magical powers for the thousands of people that ride it everyday; but for this journey junkie, this much needed transport to a far off land came at just the right time.

#insidejob

My second book layout assignment this year came as somewhat of a surprise. I knew my brother-in-law was working on writing a book, but I had no idea where we was in the process or what the book was even about. So, when I got a text from him asking me to design a cover I was a bit taken back. 

With my job schedule picking up momentum, I was a bit hesitant to commit to anything. Nevertheless, after getting a general idea of what the book was about, I did a quick sketch of the first idea that came to mind. Well, it seemed my one thought was enough, as he liked it better than any other conceptual designs he had seen.

On October 3^rd I joined the journey to make #insidejob a printed reality. That one initial sketch led to other interior designs as well as the layout.

His book launch came at rapid pass, with plenty of hurdles to figure out how to jump along the way. Getting it in hand was down to the wire, but all in all I think he had a successful event. And for me, another huge learning curve is yet to come: Getting #insidejob ready for electronic viewing as an ebook. I have high hopes that the process will be as simple as it appears to be.

Humble Pie

It seems that having been working at Hobby Lobby for over two months now, I still have the ability to walk home at the end of the day feeling like a complete idiot. I walk into work each shift thinking I am a clever, well educated, quick learner who is getting the hang of it; that I will remember what is needed when a customer places a piece of needleart in front of me, that I will remember that spacers are needed when a piece of art has no mat; but I don’t. Instead, I walk in to find that I forgot to shut the compressor off the night before when I closed or that I didn’t fill out one of the forms correctly or I forgot to make a note about using photo corners verse tape.

You might think I am being hard on myself. It is true that I am getting better. It is also true that my experiences of ignorance have come in handy in empathizing with Aletheia when she comes home from her new part-time job feeling the exact way I have felt time and time again. So now, we come home comparing notes and stories, wondering if we will make it though a workday without making any mistakes. Instead it seems everyday contains a least one piece of humble pie, a tough flavor to acquired a taste to but essential none the less.