Universal Messages

It's been a while since I've blogged, other than what I did yesterday, but that seems to be the way I roll. And so it is.

I wanted to make a special note of something that happened to me yesterday, just so I have it somewhere other than the lost jungle of my mind.

Yesterday, Makenna and I drove Jordan down into town for work. We usually go a bit early so we can have coffee and chat with our friends at Mount Dora Coffee House. On Tuesdays I usually leave the coffee house and head over to the art center to work there for a while. Well, all of this occurred, but yesterday Makenna was also trying to connect with our neighbor Val to hang out with her for a bit. We walked all over town and couldn't find her. I went to the art center prepared to give them some time, and no staff was there. Veterans Day. So, it's a strange kind of morning, it seems like nothing is working out too well. It's not a big deal, it just seems kind of weird.

By this time we both are getting hungry, but we're not sure if we feel like heading home. We decide to go by Cecile's French Cafe and split our favorite lunch. They have quiche Lorraine and serve it with a very nice tossed salad on the side. Add a good lemonade and we're in.

One of the cool things about Cecile's is that they have the whole patio outside of the restaurant and there are many tables and chairs with umbrellas, etc. They have a lot of plants and a pergola filled with blue sky vine and it's all very nice, very Florida. It's a great place to watch people stroll by.

Anyway, Makenna and I choose a table and sat down. Our waiter comes over he greets us and remembers me by asking me if I'm planning on drawing today. This makes me laugh because it feels interesting to me that he would even remember me, let alone the fact that I sat sketching on a napkin the last time I was there. I had gone on a Sunday when I had some time alone while Rich was spending time with the girls.

So today, he takes our drink order, I get out my knitting (it's Christmas work time, must knit at all opportunities) and Makenna gets out her sketching. When he brings back our drinks he tosses down the napkin from the last time I was there and asks me if I would finish it, that I've left an unfinished corner. Apparently he's kept it this whole time.

I told Makenna, as I was sketching on the napkin, that sometimes life is funny. Sometimes when you just don't know what's going on, the Universe sends you this little message that tells you to keep going, keep being who you are, keep plugging away. This napkin, this waiter, well they seem like messengers of the Universe to me. At least that's how I'm choosing to see it.

Yesterday, in many ways, was a difficult day for me. And yet, I still have a part of yesterday that was completely wonderful. I can't let this part get lost in the whole.

Magnolia Fest 2008

Hey there,

Here are a few photos from when Makenna and I went to MagFest this year. We went on the way up to North Carolina this year. It rained for a lot of the day, but that didn't deter us, did it? No!

This is a picture of the main stage,

and the next pic is the hammock section in the back area. We love the hammock section.

Here's the Sugar Shack, man their Veggie Thing is to die for, a tortilla laid open on the grill, add cheese, and load on the veggies...spinach, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, add salsa, and wrap it up like a big taco and chow. I like to add hot sauce, but Makenna likes it just fine without.

We love these guys. They're from Bristol, Tennessee and we look forward to seeing them every year. This year I spoke with the owner and he was telling me his wife is attending ETSU, and he loves Asheville and lots of other stuff that I think is cool but everyone else will think is BorInG. Community feels like community, no matter how large and he made me feel like that area, which I hope to move to sometime in my life, has a sense of community for me. Little bits, combined, add up.

Here are some straight out Festival Shots. Part of the fun of going to festivals is all the people and sights, not just the sounds. I needed this festival so badly, mentally, and I really didn't' even know it until I got there and felt the ease seep into my body. It was like "Here are my people, whew!" Nice. About the pics. So....Airstream trailers are awesome, and then the fashions are beyond belief. This guy on the right made a whole necklace out of old ring tabs which they stopped making in the '70's. He was totally into it, lol. This year, as just something to do, Makenna and I decided to do a photographic "treasure hunt". We made a list of things to capture and then compared our evidence at the end of the day. Our list was something like this... Jewelry, Sign, Person, Vehicle, Bike, Art, and Hammock. Some of these photos were from that list. Treasure hunts are fun in many capacities, yes? yes. A photographic treasure hunt is an invitation to look around and really see. Really look. Then be invasive and take pictures! Hurray.

Festivals are so awesome.