Stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.
–Lao Tzu
What is to give light must endure burning.
— Viktor Frankl
~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~
My guiding principle this year has been to cultivate joy by going in the direction that uses my energy in the most positive and productive light.
Life has a way of unfolding in an interesting series of twists and turns, but since acquiring this principle it has erupted quite suddenly in an unexpected flourish. But let’s be clear on one point: Cultivating joy is an arduous process – one that can make you cry, bleed, and beg for mercy. Such is the blissful life. There is always the union of opposites. Nothing in creation is in vain.
The first week I moved in to Peace.Love.Home., I fell victim to a brutal rose bush attack. I was only trying to nurture the dying plant back to good health with a little pruning. The vicious thing chewed me up and spit me out of its hideous maw.
Two months later, the wounds have healed over, but the thorns remain embedded lumpily in my skin. The rose bush consumed me and I consumed it. It makes me feel all superhero-like actually. Think “Spiderman,” except I’m “Rosewoman,” my superpower being….smelling good and looking pretty? Ok, not so much, unless you like the smell of dirt, sunshine, lady sweat, and tears. And the appearance of a middle-aged woman with the hairdo of “a 5 year old who’s been playing outside all day,” which is how the Indentured Servant described it when I came in for water the other day. And then there’s the matter of the rash(es) all over my hands, arms, and legs. At last peek in the mirror it was spreading up my neck and the right side of my face. Possibly poison oak? sumac? ivy? or some sexy combination of the three. The rashes mix and mingle with the mosquito bites to give my skin a mottled, diseased appearance. And let’s not forget the sunburn, which is a single strip of red situated across my lower back where my shirt tail didn’t quite reach the waistband of my pants as I was bent over the bed pulling weeds for hours.
Nature is a beautiful, but cruel mistress.
If you don’t believe me, ask the writing spiders in the backyard…
20 comments
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August 16, 2012 at 5:25 am
Side Yard Flock
Wow, that first shot is amazing. I found myself just waiting for the spider to wrap her meal, like I could reach right out and touch her. Not that I would, mind you, but nice shot.
August 18, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Lunar Euphoria
She was such a ham. I got all up close and personal with that lady and she didn’t seem bothered by me at all. I guess she was preoccupied by her cicada dinner.
August 16, 2012 at 12:37 pm
skatturcast
We have one of those garden spiders this year too. A bit smaller than yours tho. He disappeared the other day after the big rain. Nice pictures.
August 18, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Lunar Euphoria
Yeah, after yesterday’s rain both of them have moved on. I miss them! I wish they’d come back and eat some of the entitled grasshoppers back there acting like they own the place.
There’s no sign of that cicada anywhere. It was devoured.
August 19, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Kathy
Spin, spin, spin your stories, Lunar. There’s few lasting good stories without the prick of rose thorns to make us squirm.
August 25, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Lunar Euphoria
Spinning away! (Whee!)
Much more gruesome experiences than prick of rose thorns this week on the farm. Gory details coming soon.
August 19, 2012 at 8:51 pm
NickAndrea19
Hahahahahaha
August 25, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Lunar Euphoria
Ha, ha!
September 12, 2012 at 12:19 am
Dana
Am I the only person who’s freaked out by spiders here? Gah! They look beautiful in the photos, but I would have been hard pressed to pronounce them gorgeous if they were anywhere in my vicinity. (Though spiders are infinitely better outdoors than in!)
I love the image of your 5-year old’s hairdo. 🙂
September 12, 2012 at 1:33 am
Lunar Euphoria
No doubt, they’re freaky. I think spiders must be my animal totem though because I always have a bunch of em hanging around everywhere I live.
September 13, 2012 at 1:08 am
Dana
Oh, dear. They might be my totem, too, because almost every night before I drift off into sleep, a dream spider scurries across my mind and spins a web. Sometimes this jolts me awake again, but for the most part, I’ve just learned to accept that it’s not a *real* spider running across my face… I hope.
September 15, 2012 at 2:29 am
Lunar Euphoria
With their intricate webs spiders remind us of the interconnectedness of all things. In mythology they weave together the past and feature and demonstrate the union of opposite. Despite their delicate and fragile appearance, a strand of web is one of the strongest fibers.
July 7, 2013 at 3:55 pm
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September 5, 2013 at 10:34 am
allesistgut
What a big exemplar. Impressive, indeed!!! Have a nice day.
September 5, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Lunar Euphoria
Thanks for popping over – and good day to you!
September 5, 2013 at 12:45 pm
westseventhfreelance
Incredible!! The setting is so similar to where our “lady” set up house…near a structure and in a bed of flowers and native grass. I think she is just beautiful. I should go check and see if the one out back has caught anything as large as the one you picture!!
September 5, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Lunar Euphoria
They are so fun to watch, aren’t they?
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