Tree Peonies and the Magic of Light

These breathtaking beauties were in bloom this week. I had to cut the flowers because I was concerned that the wind and the rain would damage the delicate petals. We have had very cool and windy weather. The past few days have felt more like March than the end of May. 

The winds have been fierce and I have felt the energy of change coming through the cold winds.

Before the peony buds opened I took pictures of water droplets caught in the leaves. If you look carefully you may see my reflection as well as the tree tops. The water droplets look a lot like mercury. I was amazed by how clear the reflections are. In a single droplet

 you can see the sun, the clouds, the tops of the oaks and me. It is an unconventional self portrait!

Everyone who smelled these peonies fell in love with their light and generous scent. I dream of  reproducing it in botanical perfumery. It is sugary and delicate while elegant and soft.

More beauty from the garden.

Peony love.

Narcissus Love

Five hundred new Narcissus bulbs were planted last Autumn, and the rewards were captured in the beautiful Spring light with my cameras. I have been sharing them with friends and clients and everyone has fallen in love with the intoxicating new scents.



There is fresh soft energy in the air that is welcoming. Even as I write this post we are having a soaking rain which will help the lilacs bloom and the the ferns unfold.

My own personal unfolding is taking form in the enrollment in a three year study of Somatic Experiencing, a method of treating trauma, designed by Dr. Peter Levine. I have read Waking the Tiger  numerous times and resonate with the approach of natural healing of the nervous system. I feel that this will be a wonderful new modality to incorporate into my practice and my everyday life. There is more information about this work on the website www.traumahealing.com.

Again, I am turning to nature for a deeper understanding of how we can heal and live more authentically in our bodies with ease, grace, expansiveness and joy. 

In my quiet time I sit with the flowers and watch them open. These blooms have inspired me for weeks now with their different colors of yellow and orange. This Autumn another 500 bulbs will go in the ground for more magic next Spring.

These lovelies inspired me so much! They remind me to stay in the 'beauty way'.
They are delicate and so full of grace, like elegant women.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Eleanor Roosevelt

Inspiration

Today I found this written piece within minutes of taking the pictures of the fading peonies on the wall. These pink lovelies were a birthday gift from a dear friend, they are still filling the air with their amazing scent. After reading this quote I was so deeply moved that I decided to post both.

Enjoy.

The Grace of the Egret

Today the sky was blue, the sun strong and the water of Accabonac harbor clear.

This beauty posed for the camera and shared it's grace. 

I seem to be writing a lot about animal totems and symbols these days but this is what is coming to me when I am out and about in nature. The heron is quite special. It was nearly extinct after being hunted for its beautiful plumage. 

These feathers were very valuable in the millinary world, the plumes were called 'aigrettes'.

In ancient Egypt the heron was considered the creator of Light. A double headed heron was a symbol of prosperity.

 Many Native American tribes see egrets and herons as symbols of wisdom. In Asia the heron is often regarded as a symbol of wealth.

These magical birds also remind us to stay balanced. While I watched this bird stand on one leg for quite some time I was very impressed by its ability to stay perfectly still and grounded in the wind and the water.

Lady Bug Medicine

This past week I celebrated yet another year traveling around the sun on this magical planet.

On a sparkly clear day,  I came across two lady bugs on the beach in Amagansett. It was such a nice surprise to see them in an open space. 

These lovelies were kind enough to pose for the camera!

I have learned that when lady bugs appear that they are signs of good fortune coming our way!

 They remind us to live life with a light heart. In some Asian countries there is a belief that if you have a lady bug land on your body, you whisper your name to the lady bug, it will fly to your love's ear where it will speak your name. 

Lady bugs are symbolic of love, protection, the sacred, and the Blessed Mother Mary. 

These lovelies earned their name after farmer's in France prayed to Mother Mary during the Middle Ages for their crops to be saved from insects. Many lady bugs soon appeared and devoured the pests and the crops were saved. Hence the name 'Beetles of Our Lady' or lady bugs.
In some Asian countries there is a belief that lady bugs understand human languages and are connected to divine sources.

There is also a saying that 'if you make a wish in the presence of a lady bug, the wish will come true'.

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A life span of a lady bug is approximately three to six weeks. During this time they may consume as many as 5, 000 aphids!

Wishing everyone a very happy Spring!

Swan Medicine

As I was taking in the sun today at Albert's Landing in Amagansett, a pair of swans flew over head, across the clear blue sky and gracefully landed in the water of the bay. 

They hardly seemed to notice me as they swiftly swam through the clear blue water. I was inspired by their movement and the speed at which they could swim in the open bay. 

While there are many myths, legends and fairy tales that include the swan as the main character I am intrigued by their symbolism. 

They are symbolic of love, grace, beauty, elegance, transformation and relationships. They are also symbols for awakening, the linking of two worlds, the dreamer, the mystic and  sensitivity.

The magnolia flowers are in bloom now and this gorgeous flower is symbolic of nobility and perseverance. The two images flatter one another, both taken today. 

Below is a snap shot of the bud of the magnolia flower before it opened. 

Heaven on Earth

Today I lay on the earth at the base of an old oak tree and let the warm winds fly over me as I took in the afternoon sun. I watched the last crocus flowers wilt and the seagulls and osprey fly over head against the clear blue sky. 

Today I also read a beautiful piece from the translation of the Su Wen by Claude Larre and Elisabeth de la Vallee about the nature of Spring. One of the descriptions of Spring 'is the time when the qi of heaven and earth come together after the separation of winter. Once again the qi of heaven can descend and the qi of earth can ascend.'

This is a perfect description of Spring.

Since taking this picture of an osprey flying into the sun on Easter Sunday at Accabonac harbor in Springs, I have felt that within each picture, I am capturing  slivers of heaven on earth. 

The osprey totem represents ascension, illumination, rebirth and renewal. 

The crocus flowers have introduced color before the daffodils and now there are many shades of yellow everywhere and it is quite satisfying to see all of this beauty after such a long winter.