this meal was a total inspiration from a co-worker who i spotted eating this on his lunch break at least twice last week. so – i totally begged him to give me the recipe. i added my own variations, of course… and you can make as much or as little as you want, but the base is simple :
– sausage of choice {i picked buffalo andouille from the buffalo guys – they have great ethics!}
we are almost half way through the cycle… and now mercury has left the sign of cancer and entered his home sign of gemini…
so what does this mean? — well, the last week or so may have presented you with issues to deal with, revisit, resolve, etc. in the following themes : home, roommates, intuition, nostalgia, mother/mother figure, childhood, emotions, security needs… these are some key themes of the sign of cancer. perhaps you made the decision to move or make renovations in your home? perhaps a past project came up that needed tweaking or you had an “epiphany” regarding something from your past. you may have learned to trust your intuition more, or to learn to come to terms with some emotions you are feeling… MR in cancer offers an opportunity to revisit, rework, and release in these areas of our lives… and with the full moon energy last week, this period has had amplified energy to support it, as well…
now mercury is continuing his backward travel through the sign of gemini – which is where his “home” is. for the next couple weeks we can expect to see our thoughts shift into the themes that gemini represents. these include talks, short trips, local activities, brothers/sisters, electronics, vehicles, writing, the internet, and anything else that involves connecting or communicating. mercury LONGS to connect, and when he is in the sign of gemini, he has the most success in doing so. however, since he is retrograding in this sign, we can expect to see our thoughts become more introspective. we may want to get other people’s advice or opinions on the current relevant matters in our lives. we may revisit a writing project or rework a trip we had planned. any vehicle or electronic issues may arise to be addressed {sorry, that IS one of the bummers about this period – i hope you backed up your computer recently!} and/or we may find people from the past showing up again to rework, reclaim, or revise a situation. there is great opportunity during MR periods… it’s like taking a mulligan 😉
mercury retrograde periods get a bad rap – but i believe it’s because we don’t generally UNDERSTAND what they are for… and we don’t properly harness the energy presented during these times, so many of us are left feeling frustrated and wondering what happened. which is ironic because that is precisely what mercury retrograde longs to be – UNDERSTOOD! i can’t tell you how many times a day i catch myself thinking or saying “i just wish {that person} understood how i felt.” you may catch yourself using some of my catchphrases lately – like, “did that make sense?” or “i just want to explain it so you can understand…” or “that came out the wrong way, let me rephrase that…” or “wait, i didn’t mean to say that…”
astrology doesn’t MAKE stuff happen… it can’t cause events. but time and time again i find validity in the movements and study of the planets and their behaviour. being natal mercury retrograde, i have a unique and tremendously accurate understanding of how this planet’s movements effect our lives in a major way. perception is EVERYTHING in life – and it can be to our benefit or to our detriment. this has been my biggest lesson during this current MR period. i guess it all goes back to being true to who you are. we are not all the same – we are very uniquely different. but i believe that the ways in which we are the same can bring us together and allow us to be ourselves, as individuals… if we could just simply change the way we look at things – at life.
every puzzle piece has importance, significance, and relevance – we just don’t and CAN’T all have the same design, function, or purpose – we must each bring our own individual strengths to the group, the collective, the puzzle itself. and we should never try force a puzzle piece to change its shape… we simply can’t. and besides, then it wouldn’t fit in the puzzle, anyway – you dig?!
thank you for reading, and for your support – it means the world to me! and please let me know any thoughts you have or feelings you wish to share… i love hearing from you! and don’t forget, i also am available for hire to conduct natal astrology interpretations.
callee has recently become a lapcat… she never used to lay on my lap and let me pet her and now she’s always climbing all over me – especially when i’m sitting at my desk blogging. so – apparently my kitty callee says hello, everyone! 😉
squeezin’ in some vitamin D anywhere i can – even on my lunch-break…
speaking of vitamins, i am trying these new kickass 100% organic food-based vitamins from garden of life. and how happy was i to find my favourite quote ever inside the box?!?!!! 😀
watching sopris emerge from the clouds…
taking more shameless selfies : featuring new shades…
i was having a nice moment with this cute little bunny… until a loud truck drove by and scared her away…
yep, those are two ladybugs… *ahem* …on an asparagus stalk…
bloomin’ onion…
how do you feel about ravens?! they are always all around me… practically everywhere i go.
mercury went retrograde in cancer today… for three weeks we can expect to see our thoughts become more reflective and introspective. a few of the key themes will be home, renovations, real estate, roommates, moves, security needs, childhood, intuition, emotions, mother/mother figure, and creativity.
as you may recall from my previous rants, mercury was the messenger god in greek mythology… he “presides” over the following themes in our lives : communication, travel, electronics, writing, thought-processes, transportation, and the like. he longs to communicate and relate. he was the figure responsible for communicating messages to the “mortals” from the “gods” – what a job, huh?! try communicating with a bunch of people who don’t “speak your language” … it can be quite challenging.
this time, mercury is retrograding in the sign of cancer. and cancer is ruled by the moon, by our emotions. cancer represents things like our security, home, family, and intuition. what makes this particular mercury retrograde interesting is that the moon will be housed in it’s ruling sign, cancer, during this transition, as well… that means a WHOLE LOT OF ENERGY under one roof! my advice is to expect the unexpected. trust your gut – listen to that voice inside that speaks softly to you; it’s nudging you one way or another… and sometimes we have to surrender and let go of what we feel is “safe,” in order to open up to a whole new world…
as i’ve mentioned, i was born with natal mercury retrograde in my astrological chart. these time periods {occurring about 3-4 times a year for approximately 3-4 weeks at a time} tend to make me feel extra good. for one, i feel more like my “authentic self” and less like i’m trying so hard. i feel more articulate, open, and creative. this is particularly true this morning.
i have had a weird couple of weeks over here and this morning i woke up feeling different… and i welcome good change.
now – to see where this energy takes me…
❤
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by the way, i am available for hire as an astrologer. i specialize in conducting accurate birth chart interpretation and would love to help you on your way to understanding YOU a little better… 🙂
my camera broke recently… and so i haven’t been able to really take any new fotos of anything… it’s been a real bummer… because i’m not sure i can fix it… and i’m just trying to stay positive and really focus on the things in life that make me truly feel GOOD… and i’m thankful to have a phone with a camera so i can capture moments in my life that are memorable… i mean, even if one doesn’t have a camera, i feel it’s important to stop and make a conscious memory of the things that make us feel good…
yanno, the things that make ya go “mmm” …
… like perfectly-priced happy hour 4-oz samplers of four amazing local brews… {can you guess which one was my favourite?!}
… and a sampler snack platter to compliment including savory tomato jam, perfect stone-ground mustard, multi-grain crackers, goat cheese, hard salami…
… and catching a rainbow…
… and seeing artists repurpose all kinds of amazing stuff… like bikes! …
… and other artists being silly and engaging through chalk…
… and doughnuts. mmm, DONUTS!!!!!! *homer simpson drool sound*
… and relaxation time in {mostly} solitude…
… and visiting a friend’s house… who happens to have a great sense of humour…
…and sunbathing under blue skies…. SO BLUE!…
… and random stickers/graffiti that remind me of new york…
i miss my mama. today and all week. i’ve missed her since april 14th of the year 1993. this time of year is hard for me – i won’t sugar coat that. sometimes randomly, i’ll think of something that reminds me of her and it will be hard. it never gets easier. however, i find comfort when i spot a penny on the ground, or when i catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and do a “double take” because i look so much like her… and i find great comfort in knowing that i am now living in her favourite part of the world. she was absolutely in love with these rocky mountains – and it’s an honor to live here… for her and for me.
if my sweet mother judi were alive today – i would make her this simple and amazing brunch… which i’ve been eating every day for like a month now. i buy the ingredients from a local store here in town and it’s all organic, fresh, and farm-grown – you know, like how REAL FOOD SHOULD BE!!!! 😀
sunday brunch for judi :
– farm fresh organic eggs
– asparagus
– cippolini onions
– garlic
– bacon cubes
– colourful cherry tomatoes
– herbed goat cheese
– fresh fingerling potatoes
this dish is perfect for one – what with my cute little ramekins and all… but i do have a second one, and would love NOTHING MORE today than to be cooking for my mama and using the other one.
i lined the bottom of my ramekin with avocado slices, to start… Continue reading →
it’s been far too long since i posted an update on my tiny home… like, four months too long! 😉
it really amazes me how much this “movement” has taken off!
i’ve made quite a few changes around the tiny home, and i’m rather happy with the way things look, now… i feel like it’s finally coming together. my next project is working on the upstairs bedroom/loft area… i need to maximize space and upgrade the whole “college dorm room” feel currently happening… 😉
upon entering my tiny home, you first see my personalized dresser from the target closetmaid collection… it’s actually two pieces stacked on top of each other, and i’ve managed to fit most of my clothing inside! just to the left of the dresser, i keep the ladder to my loft propped against the wall. as you may recall, this attaches to that black beam for easy access to the loft, and quick removal when not in use!
on the right is the kitchen table, which is where my desk used to be. i just felt like it opened up the house more with the setup this way… Continue reading →
sometimes i feel like i have more conversations with wildlife lately than i do with humans. i’m not complaining; i talk to anything that has life or energy – so, i pretty much talk to everything 😉
this family of elk live in my ‘hood and they have recently been grazing the grasses by where i walk home every day… sometimes i see them, sometimes i just see their poop.
but i do believe they are starting to recognize me!
sometimes they just stare back at me… i inch closer, snap another foto, and they just stare. i do believe they know who i am now, and they know who my camera is, as well. the little fawns i’ve been seeing are just heart-melting, too!
let’s all take time this weekend to unplug – connect with your true source, with nature. hug a tree, smell the roses, look for bumble bees, stare at the clouds. get lost in the beauty that is around all around you… ❤
i unfortunately have not been sleeping very well at all this week and am extremely tired and worn out. i look forward to resting this weekend, and doing not much of anything else…
my brain has been on overdrive, due to this lack of sleep and i’m sure a hundred other physiological aspects that come along with it… and i’ve just been in a lousy headspace today. when i don’t sleep well for several days, i can’t function. as i’ve mentioned in the past, i’ve battled with insomnia for most of my adult life. i’ve found ways to “cope” but ultimately it’s an ongoing process. sometimes things keep me awake, sometimes i just don’t sleep well. it just depends. point is, today my brain is so tired and yet it’s trying so desperately to think, that it’s focusing on stupid crap.
however – it did get me thinking and researching more about a term i’ve been familiar with but hadn’t thought about much until a friend mentioned it the other day.
HSP – Highly Sensitive Person.
google it, it’s a very real thing. even oprah talked about it on her show once, so the mainstream is accepting it, as well. and, wouldn’t you know – i, myself, am an HSP. Continue reading →
food & foto 