Monday, September 10, 2012

Heart and Soul

Did you make some time this week, time for your heart and soul?
I am on a mission to move more, and to make myself accountable by posting every week something about walking, or swimming, or dancing, or jumping around with goats and hula hoops. And since I am happy with a camera on hand, I *click* away, and note the beauty around me.

As for accountability: I find myself regaining some vigor. Being sick is such a drag. But even on my "laziest" days, I kept reminding myself to push forward. This week it meant re-doubling my domestic cleaning efforts, so I cranked up my tunes, and made livelier steps while polishing and sweeping. Yeah, basically I spent most of the week mindfully moving, but keenly anxious to do something with a little more soul.

And my wish came true... we traveled a dear, familiar road, and found ourselves in Julian. Don't you love to visit a place you love, and just walk, and walk, and walk? The road to Julian, is a road home, and walking there is like visiting the backyard... sweet, familiar, good for my heart and soul.

It was a spontaneous trip, and lo! everyone came! It's not a simple undertaking to corral all six of us, and get us to the same place, at the same time! We were lured by the promise of a late summer storm. Fat raindrops hit our windshield, and we rolled down the windows to take in the fragrance of thunderheads and oaks, sage, and damp dust. In Julian the apples were ripe, abundant.

We walked from one end of town, to the other, then up to the cemetery. We stopped in to visit Coco, the Bookstore cat, and were sad to hear of her untimely passing. Poor, poor kitty.

We saw quite a few horses, and one very small horse, pulling a carriage. We even saw deer... a doe with two fawns. I gathered wild sage and buckwheat. We watched birds.

Maria is still watching birds, listening to birds, and learning about birds. She is anxious to look through her books and figure out what this little bird is.

It was good. So good. The walk, the hills, the views. Did you move this week? Share your comments, or link to your blog post. We want to see where you've been, too. Jan is in Scotland, and with her doggie, she wants to join our movement, and I look forward to hearing from her, from everyone. I love your company!

7 comments:

Jenny said...

How wonderful, to get a full family gathering and enjoy a little stroll.

The bird ~ a yellow warbler? maybe? or not? I love that Maria is such a curious little soul.

xxx,
Jenny

Miriam said...

My moving this week has been in the form of painting. Walls, that is, so not so great in the soul department! But satisfying nonetheless.

Speaking of painting, the colours in that first photo are enough to inspire a masterpiece!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Oh Julian! How I love that place and it brings back memories of my years living in San Diego when we'd take an impulsive drive out that way and stroll through the town, visit the little shops, and have the best apple pie in the world. Raindrops in those beloved hills...what a beautiful time for you all.

I only walked the mall, once...and my little treadmill the rest of the days...it's just too un-soul-full to write about I fear.

ArtyZen said...

I went rolling in the waves, as per fb account! It was great fun and most invigorating. And I did venture back in after my tumbling, though even today, I am a little deaf after being invaded by seawater!
And walking - extended walking with great pleasure - enjoying the cooler weather and changing of the seasons.
Heart and soul. Glad you got somewhere so wonderful.
Axxx

judy in ky said...

My whole week was about my heart and soul because we were in Hawaii! My heart and soul are soothed there and my spirit soars.

zan said...

Heart. I arrived at my office today to find the elevator being serviced, so I had to walk five, count 'em FIVE, flights of stairs.

Soul. My friend walked up with me, and her humorous "complaints" kept me laughing and breathing deeply.

Does that count?

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Natalie, I gave it more thought and decided to write a "Heart and Soul" post after all. Here is my link: http://saraandherblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/heart-and-soul_11.html