The Waterfront Bar and Grill!

Check out today's MENU!  The Waterfront Bar and Grill has OFFICIALLY opened within the Lansing City Market, serving beer, wine, spirits, and an array of AMAZING food, prepared with ingredients from the market.  The patio overlooks the gorgeous river, with a beautiful tiered landscape.  We are SO excited to have this at the Market!  Open till 11am-11pm!  AWESOME!

I Make Things.

I especially like to make new things out of old, unloved, no longer appreciated things.

It's just something I like to do.

HOORAY!

We recently had a FANTASTIC writeup in the local newspaper, The Lansing City Pulse, about our organic farm produce stand, that we own at the Lansing City Market! 

You can read about it here:  http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/article-4586-bella-harvest-can-be-a-dirty-business.html

It's all perfect.

It may not all be EASY, or make any sense, but just a simple morning stroll through my gardens, camera in hand, reminds me that it's all ok.

"Nobody's Perfect".  I don't buy it.  We may make mistakes, we may have our flaws, we may not look just like everyone else.  But, we ARE perfect.

I've learned not to question it, not to force it, not to fight it, or to figure it all out.  I will simply let it flow, like the seasons, like the river in my back yard.  Like water, air, snow falling, petals dropping from my flowers.  Whether we like it or not, it's all going to happen. 
And, while we may not understand it, there's a deeper reason, one that may not make sense to us now, but, fighting it, denying it, rebelling, will not keep any of it from happening.

All in perfect order.

a tiny little exhale...

We took a little escape from reality tonight to see "The Machine" at Common Ground, a music festival here in Lansing, Michigan.  They're a Pink Floyd cover band, and they were spot-on.  I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to Pink Floyd.  A fireworks display during and after the show made it even MORE rock-star.  Lansing is an amazing place to live.  Monday is tomorrow, and it's back to reality, but tonight, sitting under the stars, having a few beers with some really great friends, and listening to some quality live music was just what the doctor ordered.

Monday begins the "doctors orders"...and we are all going to be on pins and needles, and on our knees, praying.

...and then...it all changed.

...as did my perspective on many things.  Just one sentence.  And our family will never, ever be the same.

Seeing things from a whole new angle. 

Pray.

The Lansing City Market is Beginning TO ROCK

So, tonight was the Grand Opening of the Waterfront Bar and Grill at the Lansing City Market.  I can't begin to describe how cool it is to walk outside of the gorgeous Market, to linen-covered tables, along the river, and watch the boats cruise by, while eating delicious food, and listening to the music at the Common Ground Music Festival.  Pinch me. I'm dreaming.  This is where I WORK.  Life.Is.Good.

Did I ever tell you about my very, very favorite song?

She OWNS this song.

Sending love.

‎"Send love in some form to those you believe have wronged you, and notice how much better you feel and how much more peace you have." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

if only they could just feel the love, forgiveness, and understanding that I am sending.

  I have faith in the Universe.

Yes, you.

Of all the things I love, and there are very, very many, a summer rain is on my top 500.  I took this picture in my rose garden a few weeks ago, during a very gently summer soaking.  After a bit of editing, I had just what I wanted.  I just love this picture, and I'm going to have it made into notecards for all the beautiful women in my life, again, there are many.

Coming To My Party!?!??!

If you know us, then you definitely know our awesome Border Collie, Chaser.  We found him at the Animal Shelter.  He was going to be put to sleep the next day.  Kennel Cough.  So, we brought him home, and, after what seemed like an ETERNITY of vet visits, coughing and sneezing fits, lots of love and gentle kindness, Chaser made it, and now he's got it made in the shade.  He loves it here.  You'll usually find him werever I am, just laying at my feet.  He's the smartest dog we've ever owned, and, I truly believe that rescued dogs KNOW that they were rescued.  LOVE my DOGGIE!!!

Sometimes, It's Just Not So Easy.

...and, thank God it ISN'T all easy, otherwise, how would we know the difference between our joy and sorrows. 

This week has been very, very difficult.  My Kevin and I have had to make some tough decisions, dealing with a family member with a volatile mental illness.  A dear friend's Grandmother left Earth for Heaven, and Cancer may be revisiting my family.

I don't know anything.  I have no answers, nor do I seek answers.  I simply follow my path, knowing that I have a guiding hand, steering me on my path.  I am blessed to have a loving husband and life partner, abundance in my home, and so very many lovely, tiny miracles around me daily.

From the whiskers on my dog's nose, to the majestic sunsets on the river in my back yard, and all the people and plants and tiny creatures, I have, not everything, but enough.

SO busy!

Working at the Lansing City Market, our summertimes are delightfully BUSY!  Filled with fresh produce, and excited customers, new recipes, new friends...it's all so wonderful, and I take the time to can, freeze, and preserve all of the summer's bountiful harvests.  Unfortunately, it leaves little time to PLAY!  So, our playtime is spent, very often in our own back yard.  This weekend, we are having a HUGE bonfire, and I cannot wait.  Lounging around with good friends, telling stories, with the river in the background, and dancing fireflies in the foreground is a little slice of heaven.  We are blessed.  Exhausted...but blessed.  :)

BORN TO BE WILD!

Upon arriving home, I terrorized Dimondale for an hour or so on my new scooter, Beatrice, or "BEE" for short.

She's not bedazzled YET.  I ordered her stickers today.  She will be gorgeous in a week or so, till then, she's au-naturelle.

Market Day!

Kevin usually works at the Market, but today, I decided to go in for the day.  How lucky we are to have such bountiful fruits and vegetables at hand 24/7.  I paid our good fortune forward today by giving out lots of freebies.  Felt good.  These gorgeous raspberries are from our own back yard.  Magic.

If I ever figure it all out...

This is where it will happen.  This is where I meditate daily, enjoying the silence, which is interrupted by only breezes, the sounds of the geese playing, and the water in the river flowing over the rocks.

I think, and think, and think.  Sometimes, I am quite certain that it's not my responsibility to figure it all out, but to let it just flow, like the water over the rocks.  Namaste.

Meet Beatrice!

Or, "BEA" or "BEE" for short.  My new scoot.  In an attempt to do my part, and, the fact that we live in a tiny little village, just outide a booming city, I've decided to go from 4 wheels, to 2.  Everything we need is right here in Dimondale, and, if needed, I'll drive my automobile to haul big stuff.  But, truly, this is all I need.  I just got her yesterday, and I'm already IN LOVE. 100mpg, baby.  I've already stripped all of the racing flames and skull stickers from her, and they will be gradually replaced with bedazzles!  Stay tuned!

I have become an accidental vegetarian...

Not for any type of animal rights, not for the environment, not for any specific reason, besides, the thought of eating flesh really disgusts me.  And I don't kill things.  Anything.  No, I will not even kill a spider.  SO...gradually, meat has disappeared from my plate.  I've reaped many benefits, one being this glorious grain, Quinoa.  I made this salad for dinner last night, and am enjoying it today for lunch:

The recipe is quite simple, prepare your Quinao (pronounced "KEEN-WA"), add fresh, finely chopped veggies...( I used tomatoes, cukes peppers, fresh basil, and finely chopped fresh garlic), and toss in a lemon juice, olive oil, s&p dressing.  DELICIOUS.  And, Quinoa is a complete protein!  WIN WIN!

We are very fortunate to work at the Lansing City Market, the produce and information there is just so bountiful!  My next "Martha Stewart" endeavor will be preserving, canning, freezing and trying to save as many of these delicious, organic fruits and vegetables, so that we can enjoy them over the winter months!

I RISE - By Maya Angelou

This is a photo that I took in my gardens after a soothing, warm, summer rain, and it made me reflect upon my favorite Maya Angelou writing:

I RISE - BY Maya Angelou:

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops,

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

NAMASTE.

In OTHER NEWS....

This is a photo that I took on our lastest outing to P.J.Hoffmaster State Park, our very favorite mini-vacation.  There's something magical to me about the beach.  When our lives can be reduced to only sand and water and the big, huge sky, the insignificance of ourselves takes over, and we realize that were are mere Human Beings.  It's such an existential, zen moment, to realize that we all came from one place, and if we could only TRY to simple it up, how much happier we would be.  These seagulls are just being seagulls.  That is all.  With that affirmation, I find it very comforting that all we really have to be is ourselves.  If, and when, we have the courage to do so, life falls perfectly into place, in just the perfect sequence.  Just be.

On The Cover of the ......Business Monthly!

OK,so it's not the Rolling Stone...but we made the cover of the Greater Lansing Business Monthly!  And, don't we look so cute? HAHA!  Someone said that this looks like an advertisement of some sort.  I like it, though...