Keri:

I never fail to be amazed at the synchronicity when I visit your site. It's almost always something I need to hear.

I've been reminding myself of 'simplicity', now this message, which comes on the heels of a week of packing and purging and giving things away as I prepare to move back to the US from Central America.

I had so much stuff!!! A huge amount of it was still in the boxes in which I shipped it, more than 3-1/2 years ago. And most of it I didn't wear [just a sample: 15 new bras--none of which fit; 4 pair of hiking boots, 3 of which never fit right; too small jeans] read, listen to, play with [my 'collectable Barbie, New in Box, is now the treasure of 3 little sisters],use, etc.

It's now gone to good homes all over town, and I'm left with my necessities. [I'm sure I'm hanging on to more than I truly need, but as you said, it's a process.]

It's been difficult and I've shed a lot of tears, but I have a much better understanding of what's necessary and what's not. My new list is very similar to yours, with the addition of coffee and my little dog.

muchas gracias!

-Joy

Keri:

I never fail to be amazed at the synchronicity when I visit your site. It's almost always something I need to hear.

I've been reminding myself of 'simplicity', now this message, which comes on the heels of a week of packing and purging and giving things away as I prepare to move back to the US from Central America.

I had so much stuff!!! A huge amount of it was still in the boxes in which I shipped it, more than 3-1/2 years ago. And most of it I didn't wear [just a sample: 15 new bras--none of which fit; 4 pair of hiking boots, 3 of which never fit right; too small jeans] read, listen to, play with [my 'collectable Barbie, New in Box, is now the treasure of 3 little sisters],use, etc.

It's now gone to good homes all over town, and I'm left with my necessities. [I'm sure I'm hanging on to more than I truly need, but as you said, it's a process.]

It's been difficult and I've shed a lot of tears, but I have a much better understanding of what's necessary and what's not. My new list is very similar to yours, with the addition of coffee and my little dog.

muchas gracias!

-Joy

20 some odd years ago, I spent an afternoon sitting and reading in Shakespeare & Co. What a wonderful place...nothing like the scent of books. Ahhh...

I love the Tumbleweed houses! There is a good book you might like about tiny houses called A Little House of My Own...the author is Lester Walker.

Also, you've probably read it...but your small chunks reminder made me think of the story behind the title Bird by Bird (by Anne Lamott). It's good to make reminders like these from time to time.

Lastly, the site redesign is really nice!

Thanks yet again for inspiring us with your thoughts & lovely images...

Thank you for this post. Your posts always inspire, but that link to Shakespeare & Co. really took me back...to a sweet memory from over 20 years ago. Love the Tumbleweed houses...adding that one to our list of possibilities for our land purchases. As for the "thingness" of life...a good reminder...and here I'd been feeling guilty because I've been so focused lately on the "thingness" rather than the thinking in my life...

This entry comforted my aching nerves more than i can ever explain.

thank you

that was fun!

That Paris store I've been to! Extremly cozy. Nice pics/links!

Dear Keri,

I've been reading your blog for over a year now -- getting inspired, excited, and just feeling better knowing there are other like-minded creative people out there in the world struggling and loving. So, thank-you for that!

I recall a few entries back you wrote about the possibility of moving out to the west coast. Well, I live in Vancouver, and have just found out that I will be moving to Toronto in the summer. The thing is, I know nothing about Toronto. So my questions are: are you still considering a move out west? And if you are, would you be interested in swapping notes on eachother's 'hotspots' and favourite places east and west in this massive country?

Inspired,

Tasha

I'm not far from Montalvo. It's just as beautiful as the pictures!
(My first wedding was at Montalvo..gorgeous place, wrong guy)
The artists in residence are truly a cross cultural bunch...and boy are the exhibits awesome! For now, I'll just have to resign myself to having little picnics there with my husband and kidlings.

I love those little houses... Dreaming of having one on some land...

Thanks for the inspiration...

it makes sense. after long periods by myself - thinking and creating, I need to be in the world, amongst people and things and objects, to refill my brain and immerse myself in new ideas and beauty and life. good quote.

now that's what i call a desk!

!!!!! What's the word for being amazed, excited, incredibly grateful, nostalgic, and content all at once? All I can say is THANK YOU so, so much Ms Smith, for one of the links that you posted.

I was walking past the cozy bookstore in Paris three weeks ago. Well, actually, I was walking and then I saw the bookstore and stopped dead in my tracks. I felt such appreciation and awe that I all I wanted to do at that moment was go run up to it and devote my life to exploring this beautiful colorful heaven of books with the chalkboard story in front of it! I would have done so, had I not been in the midst of a group of high school French class travelers. Sadly, I spent three hours in the square only two blocks away, but never got the chance to return to Shakespeare & Co. (It really bummed me out that I missed that.)
Therefore you have no idea how surprising and welcome the link was.

Thank you! Now I get to finish reading the chalkboard story, and next time--there WILL be a next time, I promise you--I'm in Paris, I'll stop by there.

(by the way, I'm sorry I took up so much space with this.)

Here are some words of wisdom from my dear son, age five: "I know how to achieve my goal, Mommy. I'll just break it into bite-size pizzas." :)

The links are great, Keri. I'm in love with the tiny tumbleweed houses. I am fortunate to have a home office for the first time and it seems so decadent. And the quote? Some of the best advice I've received lately was afrom a friend who recommended to walk the perimeter of your property or your yard twice each day. It gets you outside and out of your dark heady thoughts

excellent quote. I am always pleasantly surprised at how just walking outside (or even better- taking a little trip somewhere) enables me to see things with new eyes. nothing like fresh landscapes (be they urban or country) and unusual people to jerk you out of a deep rut...

Perfect message for the day! I am going to write that down and stick it on the wall in my office.

Exactly what I needed to hear, after getting "nothing" done for two days.