Beaming

This was one of the nicest things that has happened to me for a couple of days. This little charm has just made my day- in the midst of a couple of days which needed some making. Remind me to tell you sometime that there was a fire in my house last night. An hour spent with 7 firemen and hoses and axes is a little bit umm exciting but not necessarily in a way that I ever want to spend an hour again!

I find it so touching when others who blog, take pleasure in our connections. Hybrid J stopped for a moment and remembered something I wrote. Ha! And it was my rock! Thank you for your gift, there was meaning far and beyond what I'm sure you imagined. We have such an amazing, expanding community we bloggers. There is such support and acceptance permeating all that we do each time we share.

I've thought about that rock quite a lot since I zipped off that quick little, laughing post. I have passed by my goofy rock half a dozen times since then and chuckle. But for the moment, that rock has become fairly important to me - oh but were it small enough to carry around in my pocket as a talisman. You see, it's not a very rocky kind of rock is it? It's square for pete's sake. Rocks are round, or oblong, or, or, or something. Rocks are not square. But, mine is. How come that "rock" has languished, hidden, in craftland shame, and it was marked, "fail!" It was marked fail, on the first pass, because it wasn't a pincushion. And, let's be honest, it's not quite a happy accident either. And so, what is it?

I'll tell you what it is! It's Lee's little whisper.

Lee didn't have permission to make a rock. Lee has permission to make something, oh, I don't know, umm, errr, perfect? Once upon a time, Lee had permission to make rocks. Well, maybe not rocks. But, I've made birthday cakes for my children that turned into myths. Myths. There was the myth of the fairies that lived beneath the kitchen sink. You see, I'd determined that the cake was not quite perfect enough to be served. And quickly, I hid the catastrophe beneath the kitchen sink, and dispatched kidlet's father off to purchase a "proper" cake.

Now, kidlet's father isn't known round the world for his speed and deft ability to carry out wishes quickly and efficiently. He has many other wonderful notable talents, but reliability is not amongst them. His delay left hoardes of hungry children, eager for the coup de gras of birthday parties.

Back then, in my permission giving days, I'd decided to have not one birthday party, but SIX. Yes, we celebrated the birthdays of all six daughters in one, longgggggggggg day. We'd begun early, the entire property had become a fairgrounds with each child garnering a special, two-hour limelight. As plans go, this wasn't the most intricate plan of plans and it came, not so late in the day as I'd imagined, that there were birthday party guests for all six children at each two-hour soirre. That's a lot of kids! That's a lot of balloons and water guns and whirly gigs and noisemakers. And, there were SIX cakes to be baked - some more worthy than others. At a certain point, I cannot now recall exactly when (that's the beauty of myth), one of those poor children was going to be without cake and candles. And eventually, it became necessary to DO SOMETHING. Tthe ugly cake was born.

In great drama, magnificent even, the cake was retrieved from its hiding place beneath the sink (yes, really, with dozens of children in audience) Disappointed sighs were returned with greater sighs and the myth of the fairies beneath the sink was born. Those kids laughed until we all cried. And they were just delighted to gobble up that fairy-wrecked cake.

That myth has swirled round our birthdays and gatherings for nearly 20 years now. And, once in awhile, there is an attempt to duplicate the ugly cake. I sometimes wish that I could re-create that cake exactly. It would take pounds and pounds of sloppy, sugary icing and I rather doubt that I could achieve those neon colors ever again. There were "roses" that looked like anything but roses and writing to rival the best kindergarten print. No, I don't think that cake will ever appear again, but, re-creating the perfection of the moment is not difficult. All that's necessary is a little magic, and some permission to ride the moment, accept happy accidents, and cling to happiness with abandon. I give myself permission RIGHT NOW!

And so, my little square rock is a hit. A little late in coming, but a real hit. And, I thank Hybrid J for noticing and celebrating with me.

Now! I have the added pleasure of celebrating a bit more, and naming 7 of my favorite things along with 7 other wonderful bloggers. So, here we are - seven of Lee's favorites:

• Watermelon
• a perfectly tuned piano – playing very simple, elegant music
• lemon anything will always be my favorite taste
• Lillies of the Valley are a favorite fragrance (okay, today they are my favorite, tomorrow it might be honeysuckle)
• Seeing THE MOUNTAIN is a favorite way to begin the day
• Lingering in silence is my favorite way to end the day
• Dancing somewhere off in the Pleiades is my favorite dream

And seven bloggers are:

Violaceous - I choose Amanda because her blog is just so sweet and I love landing there and reading about her days and her family.

Dana - Dana makes the list because she is brave and vulnerable. Dana doesn't share too often on her blog crafty little things but I have been the lucky recipient of Dana's craftiness. And, her sharp writing and witty observations are always a worthy read, even when I don't agree (which is fairly often my friend, but she knows that).

Posey - Posey makes my list just because I love landing on her blog; I love looking at her photographs and she inspires me with each post. It's just PRETTY.

Apron Thrift Girl - I've been reading this blog since I first discovered blogland. She lives here in the Northwest and her photos keep me inspired and remind me often of why I love living here. And, she's thirfty! She elevates thrifting to an art.

Crissy - I discovered Chrissy's blog when I had the good fortune to send her an apron in a Swap Bot exchange and I am sure glad I did. She has a fun blog and is really clear that she gives herself permission! It will remind me now to give myself permission too.

The Magic Onions - I don't need to say a word about this blog! If you go and visit, you'll see for yourself. My heart dances each time I land there. Such beauty!

Be Present....Be here - One of the first places I go every day. Liz's blog is another great permission giver. Also in the Northwest, Liz' photographs are moving, inspiring and a lovely place to breath out, relax, and breath in sweetness.

Candalaria - Candalaria's blog is another of my favorites. She is so honest, so forthright, so, HERSELF. Candalaria reminds me that being yourself is really just an amazing gift. I bet she has no idea how much she has healed, how many questions she's answered and how much faith she inspires.

I almost hate to stop. I'd like to name dozens more. But I think I'll stop and give myself permission to go make some rocks...or something :) You suppose if I put that rock under the kitchen sink.....?

Cheers!
~Lee