Lessons of the Dragonfly

The air is warm and still; the warmth of the sun beats down on your shoulders, baking them a shade of golden brown. Beads of sweat form on your brow and you look up into the sky to acknowledge the glorious sun, when you see them. Dragonflies. Everywhere. And suddenly, you are aware of the faint, yet audible hum of their wings, flapping in a symmetrical rhythm that suggests these insects indeed, know how to dance. You pause, marveling at these insects in flight, enchanted by their sudden passing and mesmerized by their iridescent beauty.

I did this, today. Apparently, it is dragonfly season here, and they are out in abundance; I looked up and saw countless dragonflies hovering above me against a beautifully soothing blackdrop of blue. The amateur photographer in me immediately rummaged through the large abyss of a "purse" I carry with me, fishing for my point-and-shoot camera, wanting desperately to capture this impromptu encounter of pretty things with wings, but I am remiss, because there are moving cars in the parking lot and none care to stop so that the crazy-lady with the camera can take photos of bugs in the sky. I walk to the little concrete island in said lot, park myself under a tree, and I wait. I wait for the clearing of cars and when the coast is clear, I stand expectantly on the pavement, face turned upwards towards the sun, and I observe these creatures of the wind, waiting and hoping that one will pause long enough to be captured.

And patience is a virtue, my friends.

This beautiful creature landed close enough to me so that my sad, little point-and-shoot could capture its brilliance. And a brilliant moment, it was.

* * *

Did you know...

...that in almost every part of the world, the dragonfly represents change? Change in the perspective of self-realization?

...that in Japanese paintings, dragonflies are representations of new joy and delight?

...that the dragonfly is a master of power and poise, and can move at an alarming speed of 45 miles per hour while simply flapping its wings a mere 30 times a minute (a fly or a mosquito needs to flap its wings 600-1000 times a minute to accomplish the same movement)?

...that the dragonfly is notorious for defeating self-created illusions on its' iridescent appearance, alone? The magical properties of iridescence is also associated with the discovery of one's own abilities and unmasking one's true identity and removing self-inflicted doubts and insecurites. The dragonfly represents self-discovery and the removal of inhibitions at its finest.

...that the dragonfly spends most of its life as a nymph or an immature, flying only a fraction of its life (and only a few months)? These insects are recognized for their ability to live in the present, whereby exemplifying the virtue of living life to the fullest and in the moment; a life with no regrets.

...that approximately 80% of the dragonfly's brain power is dedicated to its sight, and that this symbolizes the uninhibited vision of the mind and the ability to see beyond the limitations of the human self?

...that a dragonfly's mode of tranportation, as it skitters across the top of bodies of water is an implication that our deeper thoughts are surfacing and that we should pay heed to this realization? Our thoughts are responsible for what we see in our lives and directly related to the outcomes - positive or negative. The presence of a dragonfly suggests that we must pay close attention to the details under the "surface".

...that dragonflies represent a sense of self that comes only with age and maturity? They encourage us to delve deeper, to pick apart the aspects of ourselves that offer greater meaning as to why we operate the way we do. Above all, the dragonfly lives a short life; this is the greatest lesson we can learn from them.

'Pretty amazing what a simple insect can represent...'no?

So, on this Sunday evening (or Monday morning, depending where you are on the globe), I hope that you take a moment to be still and just "BE"...to understand and take stock of the meaning of this beautiful insect. If you happen to come across one, take a few moments to ponder its purpose. And learn from it.

Live your life.

In the moment and with no regrets.

Aloha Friday!

The simple fact that today is Friday is enough to put a huge smile on my face this morning. I'm happy today (despite having slept like poo all night long, waking every hour on the hour). I am happy because the weekend is on the horizon, we are a week closer to our trip back to the mainland and I have something fun and exciting planned for you - my blogging friends - bright and early on Monday morning.

I should be getting ready for work, but I am sitting on my bed at the moment, Grace curled up in my lap; I am half-dressed and sans make-up. Our bedroom window is open so the cool upcountry breeze is filtering in, but the skies...the skies are somber and gray. Fat drops of rain pummel the earth in small successions, creating a pattern of sound that catches even our kitty's attention as she lifts her head from my lap and cranes her neck to the window. Each passing shower is separated by a beautiful moment of still, and in this tiny pocket of time, I sense the sun behind the clouds, shining brightly and promising blue skies.

Our mornings have began like this over the last week. At the risk of sounding like a complainer, there is a tiny sense of disappointment when I open my eyes in the morning only to see dark skies when I draw the curtains. But then I remember this simple fact: Without rain, there are no rainbows.

And that is enough to put things in perspective.

* * *

Have a beautiful Friday, friends!

Just the Two of Us

Phil's siblings left on Monday afternoon; after a week of the familiar go-do-see pattern that accompanies visitors to our home, our days are suddenly quieter, our schedules less hectic and our free time is once again filled with our respective activities of choice. But in this aftermath window-of-quiet (until the next round of visitors), I am reminded just how much family matters. And I miss them.

Whenever we have visitors - whether family or friends - we are always so caught up in activities; the driving, the sight-seeing, the dining out...and while each of these are worthy of their own "been there, done that" story, the most memorable of all are the moments spent sitting around and just talking. The act of exchanging stories and laughter and hugs...these are the moments in life that I am most thankful for.

Most of their visit was spent outdoors and in the sunshine, our skin sun-kissed and bronze and the soles of our feet weathered and exfoliated from the constant friction of wet sand. We were more than happy to give them a taste of our lifestyle: the beach life.

On Saturday, we took them to a beach on the West Side, set up the tent and the BBQ and took them stand-up paddling. This beach is gorgeous, with it's landscape of fallen trees and large roots that have been worn smooth from years of pounding waves on the shore.

It's a wonderful place to be...even the garbage cans are happy here :).

I will never grow tired of our life out here. The sun, the sand, the surf; I am always in awe of His creation. And I love that we are able to share a piece of our lifestyle with our families. There is always a slight sense of satisfaction when we see that visible "click"...when they fully understand and comprehend exactly why we packed up our bags to move here.

I say this often, but it never loses its meaning: Life is good and we are blessed.

Ch-Ch-Changes

I've been blogging here for almost a year now, so I decided it was high time I spent a little money to give this girl a facelift. It's been in the works for a few weeks now and I am happy to share the big reveal with you, today!

The lovely Lindsay of Scenic Glory was the Doctor behind this overhaul and this girl...she delivers.

Lindsay was wonderful to work with; she was able to take the vision I had for this blog (the inspiration for this design actually came from our shower curtain, of all things!) and create a space that is even better than I had hoped for. She is professional, offers excellent communication and follow-up, and (lucky for me) she has incredible patience. I lost count how many times I changed my mind with regard to colors, layout and fonts (a last-minute change actually took place just this morning, prior to installation! You think I kid...) and I am still impressed with her turnaround time.

If you've been thinking about treating yourself to a blog makeover, I would recommend Lindsay in a heartbeat; I could not be happier with her work!

* * *

Phil's family leaves this afternoon and as much as I will miss them, it will be nice to get back to our normal routine. I have the day off work, so I'm all about the blog and paint world today.

Hope everyone had a beautiful weekend!

Wednesday Be-Happy-Tudes (Vol.2)

I've been cleaning up my photo archives from the last month, backing-up my back up (learn from my mistake, people!) and while sifting through these images, I had another one of those moments where I am just happy and thankful for the good things in my life.

Life gets busy and it can be both demanding and difficult at times, but I am grateful for the moments we are able to capture on camera; little snapshots of our life at play that serve as great reminders to relish in simplicity: the good in the mundane.

Today, I am happy and thankful for our Maui friends; the people in our life who keep us laughing and smiling and who share in my love for hugs ('cause hugs are good). Combine these people with a night of great food (Flatbread Pizza), and good times? It's a sure thing.

I am happy and thankful for my husband, who is a trouper when it comes to my incessant picture taking. One can never have too many photos with the love of their life, no? Even when I am having a really bad, throw-your-hair-in-a-ponytail kind of day.

I am happy and thankful for random things like this little starfish that graces one of the shelves in our home. So tiny, so petite, and so perfect in His creation.

I am happy and thankful for my in-home art studio. A spare bedroom that quickly became my space, with no argument from The Hubs. And despite my underlying urge to live a clutter-free lifestyle, he puts up with my mess, because even aspiring artists can be messy...accidentally on purpose. :)

I am happy and thankful that we live on an island, surrounded by the magic of the big, blue sea. We went snorkeling recently - a great escape from everyday life. To swim with the fishies and immerse yourself in the world below takes awesome to a whole new level. But I get cold easily, so the wetsuit is a must. :)

I am happy and thankful for the ability to watch a sunset on any given day of the year. And we watch a lot of them.

And I am happy and thankful for this girl:

She is my fat girl with fur, always ready to lay on my chest or curl up in my lap, and go-to-town making biscuits. Love that.

Life is good and we have plenty to be thankful for.

'Cause We're a Team, Like That

Thank you everyone, for your encouraging comments and emails regarding the launch of my Etsy shop. It's been a long time coming and truly a labor of love and I am happy to be able to share this journey with you. At present, I'm working on putting my ego aside, ignoring the voices in my head that drone on and on about what I could be doing differently, or what I should be doing instead of, or what I could be doing, better. I know that this new adventure of mine may or may not unfold exactly as I've planned, but I refuse to lose sight of the big picture: I'm no longer talking...I'm doing. And isn't that what's important here?

Of course, it helps to have a support system consisting of you - my blogging (and real-life) friends - and a husband who knows exactly how to appease his lunatic wife in her hour-of-need, and I want to acknowledge that here. So thank you. Thank you for taking the time to check out the shop, for writing to me and for showing me some love.

And a big, public thanks to Phil, for enduring my late-afternoon meltdown yesterday and cleaning up the hot-mess that was I. He has been great, encouraging me and not complaining once, when I assigned him the task of photographing my artwork because I have an irritating knack for waiting until the 11th hour (sorry Phil...love you bunches!).

'Cause we're a team, like that.

So, with the shop officially open and my "being in the zone", I'm pressing on, finding the time to paint while juggling a full-time job and blogging (which can easily qualify as a full-time job in and of itself). I've got in-progress paintings waiting at the sidelines and new products planned in the coming weeks, so I have my work cut out for me. The nice thing is that future listings are more in the "affordable" pricepoint range, so hopefully there will be something to whet everyone's appetite.

We've got a lot on our plates right now; Phil's brothers and sisters just flew into town (all five of them!), work obligations call, we're preparing for a quickie-trip in a few weeks and I'm working on a project for my blogiversary celebration (August 1st...stay tuned!) so my posting may be sporadic, at best.

Thanks again, friends...much love to all!

* * *

And in answer to the cute email question I received this morning, yes, we really do have peacocks out here in Hawaii. :)

Living Aloha Etsy Shop Now Open!

Good Morning, friends! It is almost 2:30am here on Maui and I am STILL AWAKE. It's been a crazy-busy weekend and we've got lots on the agenda (Phil's brothers and sisters arrive tomorrow afternoon), but I wanted to drop by with a reminder that my Etsy shop is officially open!

This journey has been nerve-wracking and stressful (I had a meltdown yesterday afternoon which reduced me to tears) but nevertheless, I'm excited and I'm all about taking baby steps in the direction of where I want to go.

Visit me HERE!

There are a number of paintings that didn't make the first round of listings, so be sure to check back often for new additions to the shop...and keep an eye out for two new products coming SOON!

Thanks to all of you for your kind, encouraging and supportive words while I worked up the nerve to put myself out there. I appreciate each of ou!

I will be back later today to leave a more coherent post; for now, I am in desperate need of sleep!

Chasing Dreams

Something in me has changed. It's as if the tides have shifted, mixing the old with the new and producing something altogether different. I have written before about my fear of stagnation, so I have welcomed this blending of the two with open arms. The abbreviated version is this: Changes are coming, and I am happy. This shift in perspective has brought with it a clarity I knew was out there, but one that I'd only anticipated and not yet had the chance to grasp within my own two hands. But it is here now, this clarity, and I'm taking it and running with it.

I often write and talk about Chasing Your Dreams, and although the intent is as pure and genuine as it gets, sometimes it takes a gentle push from my biggest fan to really stop, listen to myself and for the love of God, take my own advice for a change.

In a recent conversation I had with Phil (where I repeatedly express my discontent with my "real-life" job), he held up his hand. A universal gesture. So of course, I stopped. And he asked me: "It doesn't have to be this way, and you know it. So when are you going to do something about it?" BAM. Right there. You would think my ego was bruised, but his delivery was anything but harsh. His voice quiet, the gentle look in his eyes and his refusal to sugarcoat things (something a good husband should never do)...this time, I really listened. It is always nice to hear your significant other tell you all the things they love about you, that they believe in you and your capabilities, but it's often hard to think and feel these things about ourselves. And it's something I'm still working on.

Knowing precisely where I want to be and what I want to be doing with my life, and then taking the necessary steps to actually get there isn't easy, but that's where passion comes in. How badly do I want it?

I am plugging away at this art thing, ignoring the voice of insecurity that is woefully ever-present, and I'm still having fun. ETSY shop opens next Monday, July 18th.

I'm Chasing Dreams, baby.

* * *

Phil and I did a little photoshoot this weekend. We packed up the camera gear, drove to a cliffside and he snapped photos while I tried my best to relax in front of the camera. Admittedly, I am much more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, but I'm trying to break out of my shell. I can talk the talk, but can I walk the walk?

I am loving this Aloha Life.

Food, Friends and Front-Row Seats...

...are but a few of the hilights from this weekend.

On Saturday night, Phil and I invited our friends out with us on a group-date to a Supper Club on the South Side; Phil and I frequented this spot last September for the very same musical guests they had playing again on Saturday night: Paula Fuga and Mike Love.

Our evening began at the bar with pre-dinner cocktails served in tall martini glasses for the girls and tumblers jingling with ice for the boys. When our table was ready, we moved into the dining room where conversation, laughter and excessive picture-taking preceeded our 4-course dinner.

[My gorgeous girlfriends]

[Our boys]

As I am sure that many of my blogging friends can attest, any husband married to a blogger understands the need to photograph everything - including food - especially when you are in a restaurant, because it is a crime if you fail to document the delightful presentation. Am I right? And this is when it gets kind of embarrassing...that questionable moment when real-life friends who don't know that I blog, question and then subsequently tease me for taking photos of my food ("you swear like you've never seen a Caesar Salad before!", courtesy of our friend Nick. Smartass.).

I take my photos anyway, smile sweetly and laugh along although I am slightly embarrassed, because I am "that" girl. But then I quickly recover when my AWESOME husband takes the camera from me and supports my mission (because we're a team, like that), taking photos of the food on his own plate. Love him.

He was already one bite in, but still...effort. :)

After dinner, the show started and Mike Love took the stage, opening for Paula. Did I mention that we had front-row seats? Best seats in the house (ask and you shall receive)! In September's post, I wrote about Mike's demeanor and alluded to my fascination for his quiet, artsy way. I don't know what it is about him, because physically, he is so not my type...but watching him sing, feeling the soul in his music and bearing witness to the passion in his voice, this fascination is a borderline crush! Paula joined Mike on stage shortly thereafter and as always, she did not disappoint:

And later that evening, when the show was over, the lights came on and patrons slowly filed out of the dining room, Phil proved his awesomeness for the second time that evening, purchasing Mike Love's CD (because he knows how important it is to support the starving artist in each of us!) and snapping photos while I got Mike to sign it.

Yes, I am a grown woman...aint no shame in my game. :)

Knowing he was being photographed, Mike threw his arm around me, turned to the camera and threw a shaka in for good measure. I am so easily pleased...and I have the best husband ever! :)

* * *

An evening spent with friends isn't complete without parking lot photos to end the night:

Food. Friends. Front-Row Seats. Life is good!

Love you, Phil.

The Be-Happy-Tudes (Vol.1)

Well Hello, July...and good day to you, friends!

I've enjoyed my much needed reprieve from online-time and am looking forward to diving back into the world of blogging. From the looks of things around here, your long holiday weekend was filled with life's pleasures in abundance: good food, good friends and good times. As was ours.

I spent one of my recent days off editing photos and as I began sifting through the folder marked "Random", I paused. And then I smiled. Each of these photos, in their own unique way, make me happy. Thus, The Be-Happy-tudes was born.

I am happy and I am thankful for so many things.

I am happy and thankful for bizarre, but temporary afternoon showers that end with double rainbows that arc over our home.

I am happy and thankful for fresh flowers and our tiny home, even though we have yet to paint the living room that beautiful shade of celery green (see the paint swatch?) that took me almost a YEAR to convince Phil to agree to. I am a master at procrastination.

I am happy and thankful for the Rainbow Shower trees that are in bloom this time of year. Come visit and stand under one of them while they rain flowers on you...it's exhilarating - I promise you that!

I am happy and thankful for a cart of fresh, colorful and "clean" food (but if I am being honest, I am not always happy shopping for these at Costco).

I am happy and thankful for my own version of Pasta Salad that filled the bellies of friends and my husband for our 4th of July beach BBQ. It was quite tasty, if I do say so myself (and for the record, I put the feta cheese on afterwards because "not everybody likes cheese", according to Phil. Boy, was he wrong!)

I am happy and thankful for dates with my husband, checking out new restaurants and enjoying happy hour cocktails and pupus (appetizers...Hawaiian style).

I am happy and thankful for late afternoon drives upcountry, where we make impromptu stops to soak up our surroundings and take in the view.

I am happy and thankful for lazy beach days, when I can get Phil to sit still and just BE.

I am happy and thankful for eyes that can drink up the COLOR of my surroundings. Inspiration is everywhere, friends.

* * *

I am happy and thankful for my patient husband who may not completely understand my obsession with snapping seemingly random photos, but still tolerates me when I bark orders to "Wait! I need to get this photo!"

And I am happy and thankful for each of YOU, who read this blog and who have taken the time to comment or send emails. My last post spawned a number of emails from new readers (hello and welcome!)...thank you for saying hi! I am working on my responses to each of you and it may take a bit of time, but I wanted to acknowledge your kind words and your presence here...thank you!

Be happy and be thankful. Have a beautiful day!