Flowing with the Words

Being wide awake at 2:00 am is not a usual occurrence for me, but I resumed my medicine today after being off it for two weeks.  Totally forgetting the "jump start" that happens when I resume it after a break, I simply popped it in when I picked it up, about noon time.  So here I am wired with words, writing and feeling like I could create the great American novel in one sitting.  I completed another newsletter and sent it off, wrote several journal entries, and now am trying to lull myself to dreamland by writing here.  I'm sure when morning comes I will not recognize what is flowing now,but somehow, there is a need to continue.
I am somehow not surprised at the increased effect of the medication today.  Since last week when I was attuned in Reiki I, there has been an increase in all of my senses.  I see things more clearly, I have noticed an increase in hearing, and food tastes so much better.  Gone also are cravings (except for salt which never leaves me), and a much more relaxed attitude toward food.  I am even feeling hungry in the morning upon arising, something I haven't felt for years. Perhaps the most noticeable effect is a lack of worrying or fear, especially about the shop.  The bills are still there, but I have a different sense toward them, recognizing that doing what I can each day lends itself to much more ease than worrying about the next day.  I really like these changes.

Fall is here and I reluctantly turn toward the new season

The calendar has turned another page and we are truly into Fall and October.  I look wistfully back at the "summer that never quite happened" with a sigh, wishing there had been more.  I really love the Fall here on Cape Cod.  It really is our best season, warm temperatures, relaxed customers, slower pace than frantic July and August, and usually our foliage and color is subtle but gorgeous.  I missed much of September with my Alaskan adventures, which is probably why I am still wishing for a bit more summer.

With Fall, however, comes a chance for new ventures.This fall  we are developing a series of nutrition based classes and events(YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: HOW CAN I CHOOSE?).  The series begins THIS TUESDAY October 6, 5:30 pm, with Pam Russell, Nutritional Consultant and Health Educator, speaking on overall Nutrition and "eating well to live well.".  Come join us for this free introduction and learn how to eat for wellness!

Alaska, Alaska, Alaska

Even the name, Alaska, means large one, in the words of its Native Americans.  It is an understatement to even
use the words large, enormous, or maybe even immense.  The sky and mountains and forests go on forever. We travelled by air, by foot, by more busses than I can count, by train,and finally by cruise ship. Miles and miles of natural beauty in every minute.  We saw bright yellow foliage across the Fairbanks area which made us think we were back in New England, except without the reds or oranges. (Because of the cold and altitude, none of our deciduous trees cab grow there).  We saw glaciers that were white, blue, gray,silver, and black -all at the same time. We even walked on the Mendanhal Glacier in Juneau, a half hour spent in heaven.
We went down a river by raft that is through an area only reached by boat, surrounded by wildlife and nearly untouched by any human influences.  We passed through fjords (deep, long, fingerlike harbors) to see glaciers , that from our twelth floor deck were at eye level; twice the ship did a slow circle turn with a panoramic view of the glaciers from one side of the ship across to the other.  We saw moose, reindeer, beaver, eagles, whales, and stuffed bears (real, but not still alive). We learned about the salmon (5 different varieties), the caribou (who summer in Denali ,then winter in the North), and wild birds (who summer in Fairbanks, then winter all over the globe).  We rode in a helicopter and stood on a glacier.  We had a dog sled ride (in a summer training cart).  We saw a Lumberjack competition iin Ketchican.  We saw where the Gold Rush began in Skagway.  We ate ourselves full for days and days. We walked so much we didin't even put on weight. But the absolute best thing we saw was Mount McKinley, or as they prefer to call it Denali, the Great One, standing tall and bright at 20,320 feet.   Pictures, and more sharing to follow soon....

Where did everyone go?

It never fails to amaze me.  One day we are wall to wall tourists and the next day most of them have gone.  This week is so quiet that it seems more like late September than the first week.  Of course , it IS September and the fact that Labor Day is late probably accounts for it. The weather is certainly more like fall than summer.  The air is fresh and clear, with the temperature at night down to fifties.  Brrrr!  Feels kinda nice to pull a blanket up and snuggle at night, but the mornings, not so good.  I even gave in and took a shower indoors today.  I love using the outdoor one, but 52 degrees is just too cold.

September is usually my favorite month here.  This year, however, we will miss much of it, as we carve two weeks out in the middle for our Alaskan cruise.  We leave next Wednesday (9/9 -9/22) and won't be back to work until September 23.  I can't wait.  The countdown is on and the lists are being crossed off.

If you are coming to visit the Rainbow during September, I'll be sad to miss you, but come visit anyway.  We will be open our usual hours (Sunday 10-5, Monday -Saturday 10-6). We still have a sale section highlighted on many of the lower shelves.  We even still have a "indoor yard sale" area, but don't wait too long.  As our things for Fall, Halloween/Samhain, and Christmas/Yule start arriving, we will be needing the room.

Communication is an art (and a large time consumer)

I have spent the greater portion of today (my so-called day off) writing the latest newsletter for the shop. Although not a difficult task, it IS a time consumer, especially for me who is not technologically fluent. I use one of the leading programs which provides templates and allows you to use pictures of your own as well from their image library. In theory, a very simple process, but in practice? Still takes several hours.

I wonder how we communicated in the "old days" with just our pen and paper. It certainly was easier, but limited.  Even though I could send a letter relatively quickly, it was to only one person. Later with the copier, I could print several if I needed but then individually address and mail them.  Today, even though the process seems more time consuming, it is really a marvel to think that after I write here, anyone in the world (with interest, of course), can view it in mere moments.  I like that.  Imagine the power my words can have!  Guess I best go back and be sure the newsletter is worthy of all that power.  Peace to your day!

Thank you, Senator ted Kennedy

I am filled with sadness this morning to learn of the death of our Senator, Ted Kennedy. I met him first when I was a teenager, learned about his health care reform ideas as a student nurse, watched families benefit from programs he sponsored/supported as a community and school nurse, and today follow the current health care reform discussions with a liberal background influenced by him and his era.

Although the present health care reform bill still needs much continued discussion, the mere fact that it is being discussed(again)is a tribute to his tireless efforts to see it pass. The fact that even after 42 years we have so many people who cannot afford medical care, and there is still so much debate as to whether we need a universal health care system simply tells me that the issue continues to be a battle of enormous proportion. I'm sorry he won't be a part of the ongoing discussions and feel his absence has been felt even before this.

I am sad, but proud to have had his voice and service in Massachusetts and the country. Thank you Senator Kennedy. Rest in Peace.

ENJOY SUMMER TODAY!

Like most everyone, I get busy with my day to day activities, especially in the summer season, and rush from one spot to another. Focused on the activities of the shop, I rarely spend much time alone or outside when it is a work day. I have a general knowledge of the day's weather but it is not a main part of the day, instead I focus on errands or shop activities.

Last night as I watched the full moon rise, I thought of how marvelous the world of Nature can be, quietly changing in the background of our busy lives. One night shadowy in the fog, the next clearly illuminated by the moon, and in the morning murky again until the fog burns off. As I write this in my home office, I am surrounded by trees, almost shrouded in silence except for the calling of a mourning dove, which will still be here when I return from a busy day in the village, where noise is so much more prominent. The constant drone of the air conditioner, the roar of cars and delivery trucks, the constant movement of people and activity, chattering in conversation and the bustle of shopping. How different the two parts of my life are and yet each is so necessary to maintain the other. How marvelous this balance is to creating a holistic pattern in my life. Who would I be without these different influences?

Hope you can stop for a moment today and feel the Nature around you. Feel summer breezes, soak up the humidity, splash in the water, enjoy the sunshine (or rain). It's August, the last few days of summer. Enjoy what it has to offer you, wherever you are! That's what summer is really all about!