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xoxo

Maddie

xoxo

Maddie

I love this photo of my favorite cabinet in my home. The cabinet is painted a lovely carmine red and I am constantly happily shifting things around on it. Presently there are shells and Japanese fishing floats, nests, feathers and a vintage mercury glass bird as well. Beside the cabinet is a comfy couch and i love to curl up here with my morning coffee and write in my journal or read a book.

For the past few days there have been ‘blue drops of salt water falling’ in various comments in the ‘persisting soul‘ photography course. In her creative offering for the course this week, Jen Gray was speaking of ‘soul’ and wrote ‘I believe your Soul won’t ever bail on you, and forever roots for your life.’ Holy doodles!! This simple yet powerful statement clearly touched a nerve and I couldn’t help but feel as if the artists in the course were gathering in a circle returning from a long exile to a truth they knew in their bones but hadn’t had illuminated for them in words.

Jen’s words of wisdom were little silver keys springing open all the doors and windows in a dusty old castle with a whistling gasp of fresh air whooshing in. Yet again in this course I was moved with the realization that I am not the ‘teacher’ of this class…for some alchemic reason we have ‘all become muses to one another’ as my friend Amanda said so beautifully.

When I turn these words over in my heart, “I believe Soul won’t ever bail on you, and forever roots for your life’ I am so affected by the realization that while I know this delicate yet profound truth in my very spirit, my mind alas has at times forgotten this. It is so good to be reminded of something so powerful, constant and true. A potent nudge to trust the soul, it’s intuitions and the neverending and mysterious journey of love.  We can never be desouled!

‘It has been partly such play with scale that has drawn my attention to the intervals between events, to what is happening when ‘nothing’ is happening. The meaning of two hands clapped is fixed in the soundless interval between the claps. Just so, the meaning of our experience is held in the infinitely short intervals between our sensory perceptions.’

~ Anne Truitt (the journal of an artist) ~

 Perhaps the most sacred gift of Jen’s words is the illumination that we are never alone, abandoned or truly lost.  In between the intervals of events in our lives, the soul is deep at work cheering us on and navigating our paths with a true compass if we only pay attention and trust it’s ringing voice ‘intuition.’  Alleluia!  

This day is so gorgeous, the sun is shining ever so brightly and a persistent owl has been following me around in my garden in broad daylight!. I am not quite sure what to make of this!

This afternoon I am taking my camera, a thermos of ginger green tea, and my book for an hour of vermillion solitude on the hill by the curve of the crackling sea.  Later I am cleaning the house getting ready for a dear friend who is visiting from San Francisco.  I would love to leave you with this little film of wonder to delight your soulbones as well as a little gallery of  beauty from the persisting soul class.

sending so much love your way,

xoxo

maddie

My friend Wynia and I had breakfast at Fremont coffee last weekend  following up chai lattes and almond croissants with a gorgeous walk along the canal. On the way home we ran into Ben (Wynia’s wonderful, talented, fiddle playing boyfriend) and I shouted “don’t move!”, scooted back to the studio to get my camera and then snapped this portrait of the ‘family.’ Thank goodness they were patient and waited for me because I am so happy with this shot.  Rhuben cracks me up with his sweet face looking over at Wynia and Ben.  And see the brilliant hat Ben is wearing?  Wynia made it for him for his birthday.  She’s a talent, that girl:)

To be honest I am delightfully surprised just how fabulous this turned out. In fact, I think this deserves to be written in capitals. I LOVE THIS PORTRAIT!!! ALL THAT COLOR! ALL THAT MAGNIFICENT LOVE!!!

the end:)

xoxo

maddie

This morning I am a cafe gypsy writing at Fremont coffee tweaking tomorrow’s class for persisting soul. The day is in happy equilibrium, a half eaten chocolate croissant preens in front of me along with a deep cup of chai espresso, Ben Harper singing in the background with that smooth, unforgettable voice of his.

I love the solitude of this spiritual writing space even whilst I collect people and vibes as they chatter away in the background.

Blushing leaves flirt outside my perfect little window which looks out onto the saturday happiness abounding.

~ a man rakes leaves and then carries them (almost tenderly) in huge armfuls to a growing, fluttering pile teased by a roguish wind
~ another man cycles past on a green bicycle with a purple scarf and a cello on on his back
~on the wooden bench in front of the coffee shop a young woman wearing flip flops and a green kerchief wrapped around her blond tresses writes in her journal with a ‘little mermaid’ pencil ~ she doesn’t seem to mind the raindrops which linger from a night’s dalliance on the bench and the odd falling leaf that tumbles onto her page

This day has dazzle.

Come visit me if you are in the area! You can have the rest of my chocolate croissant.

xoxo

Maddie

I love that the companion word to muse is music. For this is exactly how I feel when the muse takes a hold of my soul ~ a divinely inspired mosaic of ‘harmonies.’ Last night I did not go to sleep, instead surrendering to a phantasmagoric blaze of compunction to write, move things around in my studio, listen to music and edit photo’s all night long. The muse and I were intertwined as lovers jazzin’ to Nina Simone threading our way through the hesitant, mellifulous hours with the pull of the moon for company.

So beautiful this low, murmuring pulse of night with my dog sleeping beneath my desk, waking only to tilt her head knowingly to the long rise and falling notes of coyote around 2: a.m.

The world..oh my, there is such elegance through those dark hours to lean into, a sweet spot to connect grande intimacy with your soul.

Soon enough the morning crept in with honeyed light writhing within scents of autumnal musk and sea from the apple drunk earth outside my window.

I was not tired in the slightest. I made a french press of coffee and a bowl of Irish oatmeal (steel cut, slow cooking) and topped it with homemade plum jam, greek yougurt, granola and maple syrup. And then I listened to a fabulous cd wrapped up cozily in three sweaters on my porch and wrote in my journal.

I am vibrating with gratitude today. Remember how nervous I was about my fledgling flight of my persisting soul photography class? I don’t know exactly, but I was feeling so sensitive to how it would be received as it steps outside the usual lines of an e~course and I was nervous about my approach to merging something as personal, as elusive, as mystical as soul with art. I split myself wide open and allowed myself to delve into a deep poetic realm with all of my heart and soul to create something so intimate, so spirited from great love. One of the artists taking the course wrote to me this morning…

And DON’T be nervous, actually no nerves are never a bad thing, keep
us our toes that little bit … but you have inspired so many just in
your daily words and thoughts….and your first post took my breath
away and made me want to sit and not move; I promise you….I did not
want to leave my desk and go out into the real world. I was lost in
the purest beauty of words… So there you go!!!

this filled me up and I am standing on tiptoe singing in the highest branches with joy.

I feel so pure, so wholesome, so alive, like the world after it gives birth to a storm.

xoxo

Maddie

oh! words to shoot by ~ some golden beauty abounding

serendipity…

Sometime’s life swings around in a little circle of such marvel and wonder it takes your breath away. As a child I grew up with my father always playing Stéphane Grappelli records in the house and dancing around the living room. Yesterday I just realized the connection between Django and Stéphane Grappelli in
the gypsy jazz movement when my friend Ben sent me a link to this video and was completely in awe of the ripples of time:) Made me feel so happy and connected to my Dad like a little wink from the universe.

polaroid sketchbook journal, October 16, 2011

‘this is the day that decides by itself to be beautiful’

~ henry shukman ~

Dear Diary

Beauty is so sacred.

As I sit here contemplating the marvel of the clouderpuffs I am filled with the echoic and thunderous beauty beneath our world.

I scan the horizon for a bold and daring sailor who will challenge me to some mythic task to prove my love for the great sigh of all things as old as love itself. This is my ‘craic’ (the real thing) and I lean into holy communion of all the unearthly, gossamer beauty.

This morning I am an augur, reading the signature of all things…the flight of flecked wing, the astonishment of the waves, the lustful bloom of where endings begin.

I can never be born enough when I drink in such haloed rosegold light of autumn’s pulse.

‘Miracles are to come.’ (ee cummings) The mystery of loving and growing, shining forth possessed by a blood surge for the poetry of life itself.

Once upon a time a worn, leatherbound book of travel poems was found at Ansel Adam’s cabin in Yosemite. I imagine a day such as this wanders lustfully betwixt painted words in those pages…

happy in the happiness

Yesterday I was typing up my poem for susan tuttle’s new book that she is co-authoring with Chrysti Hydeck ~ I am typing and scanning it for the book which makes me so ridiculously happy, you have no idea.

The photo that will accompany the poem has my soul doing cartwheels and I am bursting at the seams to share it with the world but I can’t. This makes me crazy. I am not good at this sort of thing, alas. Anyway.

In that mug are the dregs of a most splendid chai latte. And I have a particularly passionate love of the vintage table cloth you see featured here. A fine thrifted find for a mere two dollars.

Oh and it rained yesterday as well, a soft growing Irish rain and then there was a rainbow. What more could a woman want?

I am having a bit of difficulty ‘landing’ myself this morning as I am in the midst of a meteoric ‘whoooooosh!’ from the universe showering information down on me for my persisting soul photography course. Truly, it feels as if the course is writing itself.

My friend Pixie wrote this to me when I explained what I was going through with this profoundly intimate new venture on my creative path.

‘It makes total sense that your course feels like it is writing itself’ because that’s what happens when we’re in alignment with purpose- Source just keeps downloading for us so we can get out of our heads and into the true spirit of our work.’

Yes. And on this note I am happy to announce that the “Persisting Soul’ e-course is now seven weeks long sweepeas! I just can’t help myself! So much to share:)

happy weekend lovelies

xoxo
~ maddie ~

~ a stunning collection of Susan Tuttle’s recent IG (Instagram) iPhonography pics ~

‘I feel a calling to put my work out into the Universe — to create it and then let it go — as it was meant to be shared. I feel privileged to be the medium through which each piece can flow — from my heart, mind and hands to the receiver, whom I believe was meant to be an integral part of the artistic process all along. In this way my contributions can make small differences in the world, and potentially, a big difference in someone’s life.’

~ Susan Tuttle ~

My dear friend Susan Tuttle is a true poet. Time and time again I return to her beautiful and inspiring blog to bask in the beauty of all that she is. Susan is such a warm and true soul with a generous heart of gold. I am so drawn to her photographs which are like little magical narratives giving us a glimpse into her world. Her work is so sensitive and pure and illuminates magic in the everyday life in such a mysteriously gorgeous way.

I love this girl. Susan is the kind of girl who loves to make art out of ‘living’ and is always up to something new. Take this week for instance. She just announced on her blog she wants to learn the cello and I for one will be first in line to hear her play when she steps out into the limelight. Susan is completely inspiring and I feel so lucky to know her.

I am so thrilled to announce that Susan is about to run FIVE of her previously offered online workshops in photo manipulation and digital collage  starting November 1st. You can view the line-up of her online workshop offerings right HERE as registration is going on right now!

I signed up for this one just in case anyone would like to join me in the class ~ let’s make beautiful pictures together:)

ps

don’t forget to visit Susan’s blog ~ she’s a keeper:)

happy week everyone!

xoxo

~ maddie ~

~ passion flower growing on the porch at Fremont coffee ~

It’s quite amazing how much I managed to fit into my two days in Seattle.

some highlights….

~celebrating Amanda’s birthday at the Lo Fi club Saturday evening with some most sensational soul dancing. Amanda said ‘it’s my birthday and I’ll dance if I want to’ and she certainly did, or rather we all did because she was sweet enough to bring us all along as well

~enjoying a ridiculously delightful swing dancing lesson compliments of Breckenridge in Wynia’s studio ~ it’s crazy how pleased I was with myself despite the fact it is painfully clear I cannot follow directions (‘yet’) Thank goodness he is so good natured about the whole ‘stepping on his toes’ thing

~ oh and I found a really sweet little book of Haiku poetry in my favorite book shop in the whole wide world (yes, the WHOLE WIDE WORLD) ~ It’s called ‘Ophelia’s’ (the bookshop that is) while hanging out with a beautiful friend Saturday morning

~ hanging out at ‘Cafe Racer’ Friday evening watching Ben play with ‘the diggers’ Seriously a lot of talent in that band and I was just so happy to drink in all that enthusiastic energy.

~ aaaaaaand I met some really lovely new friends at a dinner party where I almost fainted with the pleasure eating the most exquisite salmon and leek risotto while basking in their warm and vibrant conversations

You know, I have been thinking there is so much connection and love abounding in Seattle in my friendships. Such sweet, true spirits and I am grateful for every single one of them. Sometimes I sort of panic as they are growing like wildflowers and I can’t quite fathom how this all happened given that I live in another country for heaven’s sake when you think about it, but in the end I have decided to simply surrender and enjoy the magic and mystery of it all. I can’t imagine how I ever got along without them before they came into my life. Get on the love train people!

Speaking of gratitude, did you know it is Thanksgiving this weekend in Canada? I an making pumpkin pancakes for breakfast tomorrow morning and then decorating for Halloween with Tess and Noah. (they roll their eyes because they are teenagers after all, but secretly I think they like it)

I just wanted to say how grateful I am to all of YOU. For reading my posts, supporting my classes…leaving such beautiful comments and sharing bits of your lives with me in your beautiful emails. Here is a little sugar moon just for you:)

Wishing you an abundance of love growing like wildflowers in your life each and every day,

xoxo

Maddie

I was rightly in awe

~ maddie ~