Home Sweet Home

Jamie's prompt today - 'What do you wish for your home?'
I love her picture of tools hanging on a wall!!

Practical: 
Boy - I'd love some solar panels on the roof, trim painted (2 story, so not by me!) & probably some work on the roof itself

My little 'old computer room' to magically transform into a luxurious pantry for all my staples, GF grains, beans, water jugs (from my friend's well) etc - here's a lovely post that I'll puruse when it's not so sunny (garden calling!!!)

A sun room/green house to the West of the house .... I love sitting outside on my porch swing (when I'm not putzing in the garden) ... would be fun to have a place to sit when it's not quite that warm that still takes advantage of the sun

& energetic - for my home to feel warm & welcoming to all who enter!
That's improving, ... visited friends on the weekend, & I'm always impressed when I'm in a home with no piles tucked here & there! Clear counters, beautiful bamboo cabinets & kitchen stools, lots of light in the living room .... such a pretty home.

We went to dinner at a McMansion - which was beyond beyond beyond anything I've ever lived in - grand piano in ONE OF the sitting rooms, glass sink on a pedestal in the bathroom (I'm always intrigued with pretty bathrooms) ...

I love my little home!! & wish it to know I love living here, the wood floors, the pretty colours, the books, harps, simple kitchen, tucked away laundry closet .... & the LOVELY big back yard full of garden space, fruit shrubs & trees, an herb garden, & lots of room for veggies!

What do you wish for YOUR home??

Tune-up

Last year I took a workshop in using Tuning Forks as healing tools - fascinating! & fun. They can be used on accupuncture meridians for a similar (& sometimes more potent!) effect, above the body, etc.

Using song or tones in a session is like tuning a musical instrument. In a favorite childhood book, 'Just David' by Eleanor Porter, David is encouraged by his violinist father to sound his 'true note in the orchestra of life.' We each have our note, our unique vibration, tuning forks assist us discover resonance with that note. Vibrating forks are placed on meridians & acupuncture points or swept over the body, bringing balance, peace, a return to health & wholeness.

Yesterday I was updating my website - www.ladyharper.com & added the land clearing process (which I've shared here at the Vale) to my essence page.

I love making flower essences - as Molly Sheehan, essences goddess of Green Hope Farm in Meriden, New Hampshire says, ""Not all of us have an Ascended Master living in our neighborhood, but we all have access to flowers. The flowers have never forgotten they are One with the Creator!"

To make an essence, one gathers a few of the desired flowers, (without touching with your fingers - so clip & let them drop into a bowl, or use a leaf from the same plant), drop into a bowl of clear water (spring or well if possible), let sit in the sunlight for ~ 4 hours, strain the flowers, & bottle the liquid with 1/3 spirits, usually brandy. (Since 1994 Molly has used Red Shiso as a stabilizer in her essence bottles, which are cobalt blue. Delightful!)
Essences are simply another way of preserving flowers (such as the true Bay pictured above) for our year round use. We can be blessed with the energy of the flowers in bloom in our gardens & greenhouses any time we're with them!

In 2007, as awareness of the plight of the bees began to reach the 'mainstream,' Molly addressed land clearing or 'tune-up' in several messages on her blog. One role of bees, in addition to polination & honey making, is clearing or 'tuning' land with the music of their humm. Here's an excerpt from her 2007 blog:

"Land, like everything else vibrates at a variable rate of speed. These vibrations are a kind of music. The lower or slower the vibration, the more heavy, dense, and negative the land feels. Land so encumbered is too burdened to make beautiful music or express its truest self in song. When land is cleared and the vibration is high, there is a greater likelihood that the land will be free to sing the song of its true self.

"We all know pieces of land that feel just right, places where you just know the land is singing its music freely and gloriously. Land is really no different than a musical instrument. Just as with a musical instrument, you can bang out notes on an out of tune instrument and get the drift of the melody, but after a tune up it’s a different musical experience entirely. The more frequent the tune ups, the better the music.

"Even if a spot of land receives little or no direct dumping of denser emotions like fear or anger, all land needs clearing. Wind and rain deposits negativity from other sources onto land. Dissonance from our modern technologies also affects the vibration of land adversely as our technology affects the vibrations everywhere on Earth. This is why even wilderness can benefit from land clearing.

"You can simplify the process by just asking for help from the divine beings connected to the land. You do not need to list specific names to get help. Any genuine request for assistance will get assistance. Right now, the Angels are telling me, “Make this as simple as possible so people actually do this process. We need help." "
(Remember to ask them to 'cleanse, clear, re-balance & illuminate' the land you're clearing!)

Molly says "I have built land clearing into my morning meditation routine so that I do it each day. This is the only way I can keep myself organized, but if this is not feasible for you, it is truly better to do it whenever you remember than never at all." (OK! I'm making a commitment to strive for daily as well!)

During intense weather, I 'tune' my lot frequently, inviting the 'greatest balance with the least damage, serving the highest good' for the area. As the snow began melting after our unusual winter storms, I asked that the land (throughout the county, as appropriate) be receptive to receive the water, & that we avoid the flooding that often results when the ground is still frozen.

While living at the Oregon coast, a group of Reiki practitioners & cleared our stretch of coastline weekly, in addition to each clearing our own land. At a workshop on attunement, we received guidance that this was especially important for the Highway corridor. These larger area clearings are sweet to do with a group (I always ask that these clearings be 'for the highest good of all concerned' & in harmony with the needs of the area.)

About 10 years ago, Molly recounted a tornado going around her land, after she'd been 'asked' (by her guides) to do the process daily for several weeks! The tornado left a swath of fallen trees as it came directly toward the farm, then moved along her fence-line, resuming damage after skirting her farm!
Unless given other means of releasing energetic toxicity, the Earth's recourse is often weather.
With this process, we can assist Nature in clearing, so the resulting 'weather' can be less intense!! What a gift in this time of 'global climate change!!'

We can also 'tune' our homes - here's a process combining teachings of lightworker Amorah Quan Yin, & a clearing shared in one of my Reiki Trainings:

• Put a grounding cord on your home (imagine the 'footprint' of your home, now imagine a cord or tube reaching down into the heart center of the earth, & connecting with it)
• Visualize a rose-gold sun in the center of your home - let its light fill every corner! Allow this sun to continue expanding, till it surrounds your home.
• As the sun reaches the outside of your home or space, begin the 'Tune-up' process by invoking the devas, elementals & guides to Cleanse, Clear, Restore & Illuminate your home & grounds.
  
• Ask that any negativity move through a clearing grid, so the energy can be used as compost, burned in the sun, or 'return to sender.'
  
• Surround the cleared land with a violet bubble, a gold pyramid, Dolphin Star Temple, or a briar rose hedge (whichever image feels right to you - or one of your own!)
  
• Thank your guides & go on with your day.
  

& as Molly says - do it daily if you can!! THANK YOU!

blessings, & stay tuned :)

The Abundance of Home

Apple Tree at the Birth Center

I lived in 3 houses growing up, the 'little white house' in town, then the brown house between two towns (~ 8 miles from each); & then back to the 'pink house' that was built after WWII, one of those square boxy houses, with a lovely wood floor, 3 bedrooms, a 'round about' hall/kitchen/dining room (kids loved to visit & run round & round & round). My parents & I were all born in Oregon, as was my dad's mom (for whom this blog is named - Minnie Vestella)

I've owned three houses - a big old fixer-upper with my Scientist non-fixer hubby; someone helping us move in stepped thru the front porch floor (fortunatly, it was close enough to the ground he wasn't hurt!) & we put a piece of plywood over the hole; a niece pushed thru the front room window (ditto) & we put plastic over it, . . . . it was a block from his scientest mom & dad's, & he had a grant with his mom. I began doing massage the next year.
When we bought it, we'd been looking for something close to his folks (dear people; his mom is 93). . . the day before a neighbor 'mentioned' it was for sale, we'd walked by & I said "I could live in the house with the sunporch!"

I lived there 5 years. When decided to leave, I moved to 'the trailer with the fairy garden' - a block from the local college, & 6 blocks from the old house! It was a single wide, 2 bedroom, & just the right size for one! The kids were teens, & just down the block from the grandparents, I left them with him & the house. I remember thinking "I could live in the trailer with the fairy garden!" . . . & being surprised it was for sale! I'd thot of renting some place - but the price was good.

4 years later I moved to the mountains, to Breitenbush & life in a worker owned co-op, with team management. What a powerful, intense, delightful place to be! In the 60s my uncle Bill worked there, & I fell in love with the land! I kept the trailer, renting to a cousin for a few months, then my kids alternated living in it - they were responsible for space rent & utilities, but it was paid off :)

I was in a shared house the first Breitenbush year, 'Stonehenge' - a former tennant had brought round stones (some very large) from the river to surround the small garden in front of the house. It had a kitchen & 1/2 bath. I enjoyed playing garden, both in front of the house, sleeping upstairs with the window open to hear the River; walking in the moonlight, hugging the cedar close to the foot bridge that's my 'welcome tree' . . . chanting, drumming, dancing, singing, teaching tai chi, doing massage, working the land, walking the land, knowing the season of the moon & the sun in my bones; stars, stars, STARS!!

Growing up in Central Oregon before the days of BRIGHT MOTION SENSOR lights, (like that my neighbors just erected! Blagh. . .) I learned the summer stars with a flashlight, little golden book, & my cousins! Winter stars were harder, but my mom showed me orion, cassiopia, the dippers, the Pleiades, . . . & we sat up to watch eclipses & sattelites pass over.

The second year I moved into 'Dream Running' one of the 'picker shacks' - 9x19', with a loft bed above a clothes rod, cedar on one wall, & floor to ceiling shelves, & shared bath about 20 feet from my door. I had a little propane stove, & one of my Reiki stu. gave me a mini fridge. I had pictured the garden it needed, & was surprised to find rocks that had defined one hidden in the grass by the front porch! I called it "Star Song." Tuille came to me there, & played her in the moonlight on full moon nights. Lovely big windows on the end wall & corner! A couple of friends from the valley visited me that first week - neither had visited the year before!

Breitenbush produces 'about 2 city households' of electricity from the 1929 LaFell generator on the river; so energy is 'free' but - precious! The heat is geothermal, with a complex system of sending river water in & out of two hot mineral water wells, then thru a loop of pipes & steam radiators, & back into the well. The drinking & cooking water comes from the river, is clorinated, then refiltered before ingestion. The 'guest cabin side' has small path lights, with green gels to tone them down, the staff generally traverses the land sans flashlights.

The third year, I moved into an 8 sided house, one of 4 that surrounded a similar building that was our shared kitchen/bath. They were built the year before, & I was the 2nd occupant. 'West Wind' was just West of the Garden, 'Star Song' had been on the east side. Both were several 'city blocks' from 'Vista,' the Healing Arts house, the kitchen, lodge, sanctuary & etc.

. . . then for a few years, I lived in a small up/down duplex at the coast, while the old sweetie owner spent a sebbatical year in Europe! I'd lived in the (low) desert, the valley, the mountains; & wanted an ocean experience. I love baths. I love hot tubs, . . . there was an electric sauna at the beach house, but teenie tiny bathrooms (one up & one down), so only showers. Sigh. But the sauna (electric) was fun. . . & I'd put on the tape & sing the Tslagi Chakra Chants while in there, & cool off under the stars.

After a summer Alaska adventure, a brief reprieve at Breitenbush. This time I lived next to 'StoneHenge' in 'Star Cabin,' a 3 person place with a star shaped window facing the front path. I'd spent a few months the year before in a yurt very close to the river, 'Avelon,' filling in for one of the resident priestesses!
At Star, my roomies had set up a chore chart system, & we hosted occasional parties! I've usually been the one who may have family, or occ friends over, & attend parties, so it was fun to play hostess!
Emily did Breema (& was one of my Reiki Stu), & taught Edgu, so we would play with those & Tai Chi. & go on walks in the old growth forest, along the everpresent, ever singing river. Ray was on the Kitchen team, made great chai tea, & saved veggi trimmings in the freezer for soup stock, making soup weekly. We had a 24 hour dish rule - wash up after yourself, within 24 hours! Wash someone else's dishes if you really want to. Do your chores every week - at one of our ~ monthly house meetings, Ray told us he wished we'd all do our chores our first AM off (midweek, as weekends were busy - we happened to have the same days off), rather than putting them off . . . sigh. But it was fun to do them all together, then go on a hike :)

When I moved back to the valley, my son got married & moved from the trailer, so I moved back in. I planted a lovely circle herb garden, surrounded by stones brot from Breitenbush.
After a few years, I began looking at houses around town. This was a neighborhood I'd walked in, I had a friend down the block, . . . my house was the first I looked at!
But it was more than I could spend, so I looked at others, & had begun the process of buying a 'fixer upper' that reminded me of a Breitenbush house, . . . when my daugher noticed this one had come down in price! I was finding more wrong with the other; this one had a lot done in the mid 90s by the owner - sheetrock & lots of insulation, double hung windows, refinished fir floor, a half bath upstairs, foundation (it had been post & beam) . . . so really didn't need any work!

Each place has felt like home - & a lot of that feeling is related to the land, the gardens. I work with them in fits & spurts - putting more effort in some years. When we had our first family home here (we were in rentals the first 10 years - funny - I didn't mention those, did I?? Had veggie gardens at several! 4 houses & an apt!)
When we moved here, we had planted gardens for years for my in-laws, & we began our garden (lovely large lot), but my hubby stopped gardening. Looking back, I realize he went through a period of depression - later he took it up again. & laments now that he's rather between gardens.

Illahee Tsil Tsil Shanti - place of the singing stars. I have a front porch with lots of plants, have planted several areas around the house, & have some of those river rocks defining them (to the chagrin of folks that occasionally mow the grass strips!) There was already an herb garden in back, with self seeding parsley & california poppies; I've planted more lavender, a wagon train red rose from my Aunt Mattie, some fruit trees, blueberries, raspberries, seaberries, a wolf berry, currents, a bay tree, an olive, my vine & fig, . . .

My oldest grand daugther is now 8, & I've spent those years doing a lot of child care, the first year, daily; then less as she entered preschool & school - my choice, as my grandmas passed before I was born.
I am the (grand)parent volunteer at the little one's playschool - 2 mornings a month, with some 'date night' times, or movies, . . . My son lives 2 hours away, so time with his littles is less - we had Thanksgiving at their house, & brought them back with us - they are staying with their cousins at my daughters'.

This week, my daugher began looking at a house across town! For 9 months she lived with me, going thru a divorce & getting clear of debt - then bought the house behind mine 2 years ago! ,Our yards adjoin & we cut an opening in the chain link fence. The girls can come over 'any time,'
She's getting remarried, & her 2 bedroom house is tight. He IS a fixer, so has just finished a beautiful remodel of the bathroom, has put in a dishwasher, . . . .

I have mixed feelings - it is so handy to have her next door!! I don't really have community in the neighborhood - a chiropractor who lives a block away was part of our energy circle for a year or so, I have other friends sattered around town & in other areas, do things with them, but not much hostessing - is it time for that to change??

I have begun thinking more about my house, my bit of land. The gardens have been neglected the last several years. So this process of Soul coaching has given a much needed push to begin really sorting thru stuff, thinking about how I want to set up my yard & space. & have thought of - maybe, perhaps - doing something artistic consistently enough to be on the studio tour! But - I'd have to have a 'studio' . . .

There's a french door & window wall on the E of my small living room - so a nice sunny corner for that chair Denise suggests - something I'd already thought of doing! The adirondack bench needs to move from the back yard to the front porch, & the table back into the dining 'nook'.

There were tall shrubs on her side of the chain link fence, there's a wooden fence on the N, & chain link with 'slats' on S, so my yard is private, . . . we took the shrubs out, & cut the fence, so I've been thinking about what I want on my side to restore privacy, if they do move.

The altar is set up, I lit incense & candles this AM, & think I'll go play harp awhile.

Blessings, all :)