Toadstools and Spiraling Solar Systems

It’s Friday and I’m flinging open the door and inviting you in for a Scattered Life Collective peek into my week.

out the window:  It’s getting dark and cloudy and I think it’s going to start to rain soon.  With a dew point of 72 I don’t know how the clouds are holding back any moisture – we’re already swimming in it.  I heard a news blurb that Chicago is experiencing a little bumper crop of mushrooms and fungi popping up all over due to our excessively moist summer.  I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for any fairy circles popping up in the yard, but so far no luck.  While I’ve never seen a white-spotted red-topped Amanita mushroom either, I still hold hope for that as well.  

good things: 

• Playing in Lori-Lyn Hurley’s Sacred Beginnings in which she’s offering a daily prompt for the month of September and inviting reflection in whatever way you’re inspired.  Today’s prompt is DEVOTION.  That was my guiding star word for 2013 and here’s a peek at one of the stars I kept to remind me.

• Fringe Festival, our annual performing arts festival.  Over the course of two weekends (Thur-Sun) it offers 200 performances of 50 different plays, with 100% of ticket sales going back to the artists.  So far Pete and I have seen the ancient tale of Everyman told through a variety show; a wonderful play using African storytelling techniques about British colonialism in 19th century Africa; and a play about someone dancing between the edge of enlightenment and insanity told through dialog and jazz vocals in a train station.  We’ve got tickets for more good things coming this weekend.   

• While it feels like I hit the ground of September running and have lots and lots and lots on my plate, I’m really excited and inspired.  I’m devoting autumn to giving my biz some loving attention and figuring out what next.   My friend sent me this little clip that feels revolutionary – like one of those gifts you know is fabulous at the get-go but you also realize you’ll be unpacking for a long long time.  It’s a bit of animation that illustrates the spiral dynamics of our solar system.  Seriously, not only do we move from the 9-planet paradigm in my lifetime, but now I’ve got to bend my mind around this spiraling magic.  It feels like I woke up in a new place in the universe.  Still, with all this new knowledge, I’m not ready to give up love of orrerys.      

reading:  It’s a mystery to me how this came home with me despite my vow that I’m not bringing another book into this house until I’ve made a significant dent in the piles already waiting for my attention.  But Map Art Lab by Jill K Berry and Linda McNeilly was pretty insistent.  I’m a useless fool when it comes to maps, and there are some fun projects in here to explore.  I know my friend TL understands as she shares my addiction passion. 

watching:  peaceful little animation of part of the metta prayer

listening:  Sophia Hunger’s Avec le Temps  

favorite word of the week:  Kintsugi – Japanese, meaning golden joinery.  The art of fixing broken pottery with lacquer resin mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.  As a philosophy it speaks to breakage and repair becoming part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.  Cynthia Lee totally gets credit for bringing this fabulous treasure of a word into my awareness, and you may want to read her guest post about it here.    

project I’m loving to support:  Flowers for Dreams.  I’m crazy in love with this idea.  Sustainably-grown local flowers delivered by bicycle!  Stuff like this simply makes my heart burst with happiness – smart people doing good things and it’s all wrapped in love.  More of that please!   

on the wish list:  this makes me smile.  Who doesn’t want a pouch that labels you as “thoughtful as hell” made by a company called Social Preparedness?  

out and about:  

• Good Morning Heart Song. For 28 days in September Melissa Mulligan has arranged to send a daily email with a link to her and/or friends singing a song.   

• With summer winding down I feel all the more need to celebrate the joys of fruits and veggies.  Check out Sarah Dennis’ paper art.  And Eva Monleon of Misako Mimoko. 

• Facts to make you smile.  We all need more of those.     

So there you have it – a peek into the spiraling solar system at the point known as WeberWorld.  What’s been happening in your location?  Do you have red-topped mushrooms where you live?  Any cracks that need some gold-infused repair?  A project that needs mapping or a devotion that needs celebrating?  Do tell – you know I love to hear.