And I joyously cheer …

C-H-A-N-G-E!

A-B-U-D-A-N-C-E!

S-U-S-T-A-I-N-A-B-L-E Living!

H-O-P-E!

It is a leap year month, and there is something about the 29-days in February that inspires me to break out of the norm and shake-up my existence with a little extra creative movement.

In February, I seek color. Blue Ice. Blue Sky. Pink Hearts. Brilliant orange of sunrise. Floating waves of the Northern Lights. A barn with billowing snow drifts and crisp sky on a country road.

Today, I stopped by the Zero Degree Artist Gallery on 3rd Street in Marquette, Michigan. I wanted to treat myself to some local art and buy a couple of gifts for Valentine’s Day. I am a participating artist at Zero Degrees and I really enjoy the space. Each artist brings a unique vision.

One of the changes I want to manifest this year is more art in my life! More time to develop art, learn new mediums, expand my knowledge of photography, and add new products. I want to pop off the 2D-Land of wall-art and  into objects with purpose and play.

Artist Melissa Hronkin

I want to become sustainable, work for myself, increase my abundance and livelihood with my own joyful pursuits.

Today I was inspired by Melissa Hronkin and her “Bee the Change” shirts. I’ve been meaning to purchase one. I like having positive mantras and focal points in my surroundings and on my being.

Melissa is a wonderful artist and works with beeswax as both a bee-keeper and artist. She does wonderful encaustic art, greeting cards, re-purposed tee-shirts and more.

Bee the Change!

I have been trying to hop outta my box like it is a bad-thing, this box=bad box? But then inspired by Melissa I began to think of my box as a hive. Where my mind has been busy. Working. Forming, sweetness.

Stay tuned as I take flight and share sweetness!

Artist Melissa Hronkin

I desire a life of movement and connection.

I want to connect even more with the natural cycles of the Earth and the progression of the seasons.

I want to concentrate on my health, body and mind.

Part of my journey will be receiving instruction in yoga and movement and then to pass on that training to others. I want to use my knowledge of nutrition for healing and bettering lives. I will return to helping others as a massage therapist.

Nature photography, writing, yoga, massage these are the passions I wish to grow in my life.

The feeling behind this board is very strong. I’ve been writing poetry again and the birds have been whispering secret knowledge to me (it is not always secret, though. The birds share with those who pause to listen).

Our next full moon is March 8, it will be the Full Worm Moon in the Northern Hemisphere.

Doctor has me off work for today & tomorrow. I follow-up with them on Wednesday. I think it is time to work on some writing projects. A little photo editing, perhaps? Tea in my cup. Brownies in the oven. I am thinking of that moon this morning at 6:45 am. It was large! Lopsided. Almost full. If I were to train for yet another career what would it be?

The moon is like a lop-sided egg. A potato chip moon, organic with a dash of sea salt and turmeric, because the moon is a mellow yellow. The moon chants drive away, a way up this hill there is a promise on the other side.

Whispering.

Wind.

South Westerly breezes have rivers running early. The dogwood is red and willow is gold. I hear cardinals singing. It is leap year and only the sixth day of February.

My daughter  turns 27 on Tuesday.

And I am off work.

But have back pain.

I want to go to the park with my daughter and swing high, laughing, at potato chip moon as it grows full.

Today, I tried my hand at event photography, the sun was out, the temps were mild and this was the weekend for the Noquemanon XC-Ski race. It was good to get out and tromp thru the deep snow and find accessible spots to capture some action. The last 3-days have been filled with positive vibes and people, warm weather and best of all sunshine!

Great job Skiers!!

For more information on Marquette, Michigan’s XC-Ski race visit Noquemanon Ski Marathon

For more photography from this year’s Noque see my Flickr Slideshow.

I’ve been letting the wrong people have power in my life–The naysayers who question and judge what I am about.

I much rather be in the company of people who smile and say DO IT! I love positive people.

I spent today getting rooted.

1. Proper rest, 9+ hours.
2. Attended a gentle and restorative yoga class.
3. Shopped at a resale store for beauty & colorful clothing.
4. Purchased a red shirt–root chakra color :-)
5. Roasted potatoes, golden beets and carrots.
6. Spent the day in quiet stillness, homemaking.
7. Worked on the next full-moon vision board by paging thru magazines and gathering images that inspired me.

I am prepared to make the changes in my life for me to succeed in a life of health, wealth, and beauty.

The roasted veggies started with six small golden beets which I peeled and quartered. 4 Medium sized red potatoes. A heaping handful of baby carrots. 1 onion. Minced garlic and ginger. And fresh snipped flat-leaf parsley. I tossed it all in extra virgin olive oil and roasted slow in a 350 degree oven. I should have broiled them a bit at the end to brown them up some, but they were delicious and needed no salt. The ginger was zippy and the minced garlic crunchy goodness.

I’ve set many goals and some I feel were such a stretch that I cannot possible make it to the goal. I want to believe. But I have fears that I cannot physically get there with my body, health, and my “diagnosis.”

I start to feel strong and then another setback comes in, and another. And the hurdles seem taller and taller.

Within the space of 5-days I was glutened twice (Celiac). I missed a week of exercise and a week of physical therapy. The arthritis in the ball of my right foot screams at me as I change my footfalls to a forefoot landing (heel striker). My knee and hip feel strong running 1 mile.

My goal is to run 13.1 miles on Grand Island. I need to register for the event. I need to do so, now.

I worry what people think. I worry what I think. I worry that I may be throwing my entry fee and an extra ferry pass out the window. (want Mike to come with me)

I try to bolster my faith and my self-esteem by saying the woman in the picture who is smiling ran a 10K (1 day prior) on a tough and highly technical trail. That the woman was once afraid of heights and is in a lighthouse, outside, high-up, leaning on the railing with wind blowing. That woman ran a race with a taped-knee and then hiked waterfalls going down stairs backwards (knee pain after race) because she is determined to enjoy life.

Today, (6-months after the photo was taken) I look in the mirror and I am fearful.

I want courage. I need stamina. I need to eat clean. Drop 10-20 pounds. I need to take my recovery seriously. I need to run that race. I will run that race. I will run that race. I will run that race.

My wish is that I continue to grow strong in body, mind and spirit so I can reach for my dreams and goals.

This year for my 48th Birthday I took 5-Days of Birthday Vacation! This is from today, the last day of vacation where we went to Al Quaal Recreation Area for our Annual Birthday Snow-Tubing Event. The quality of these photos is fun not focus LOL! Grandpa Mike took the photos. Ceiri is my daughter, she is wearing the light-blue coat. My grandson is Liam, and he was a ride along. But next year, Liam will be too big and he’ll be zipping down the hill independently. I am wearing the brown down jacket.

I had lost out on some of my vacation fun due to being glutened seriously enough for a visit to the emergency room. Symptoms from the glutenization and Celiac Disease can linger for days. Today, to be healthy enough for physical exertion and play, was such a blessing !

January 18th is my birthday, or as one of my friends said today the day my body met my soul. I turned 48 years-young today. And I started this new year trying to refocus on me, honoring my health, and recomitting to changing my life path. I want to focus more on the creative aspects of my life.

I did not plan anything for this day and what pulled me the most was my camera and the out-of-doors. I am drawn by textures and lines. A certain angle of light that offers hope and a sense of healing.

I took 5-days off work to listen to my soul. To follow inspiration. Clear clutter. Welcome what unfolds. And today I walked on a path with no footsteps. Just paw-prints from a squirrel.

On Monday night, I attened my first formal meditation class. I have decided to take my focus inward. To silence the mind that jumps a subject a second and s-l-o-w-d-o-w-n.

I wish to heal my body, mind, and rejoin my soul with purpose.

I wish to build a life of healing, inspiring others, and connect with the natural world.

Last year, I pushed my art further than I have in the past. But this year I’m hoping to explore new mediums. Learn skills with my new camera, a Canon EOS T3i. And to return to writing both poetry and nonfiction. I will be developing new products for the Zero Degrees Gallery and looking for new venues in which to show my creations. I hope to develop a photography website. Seek publication of a chapbook. And so much more!

I already signed up to make a Spirit Bowl with Ann Russ here in Marquette, Michigan. This will be a two-day workshop in February where participants will make a hand-formed pottery bowl.

Magnets of my photography were my best-selling product in 2011. I tried to jump-start my blogs, but stalled over and over again. I want to make a blog related goal or resolution but I am seeking clarity in this regard. The studio will be cleaned and many things filtered out to friends,a nd to resell shops as I need to clear space and refresh the energy in my upstairs creation zone.

How do you maintain focus? I wonder if I am s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g myself too far? But these artful challenges help me come back to goals through-out the year. They also connect me with the work of others who create there worlds.

Here is one of 2012′s early photos from my new camera, a scene from Founder’s Landing  in Marquette, Michigan.

Full Moon Board -- January, Wolf Moon

Last night as I gazed out my windows I watched the moon rise full over my year. I knew at 2 a.m. it would officially be the full moon and I could not wait for Jamie’s prompt to start my board. Instead I dove in cutting, trimming, gathering the images that have spoken to me since the New Moon. There were colors, printed papers and textures that called out. By 9 p.m.  my board was complete.

I was eager to hear if Jamie’s prompt would fit my collage.

Jamie Ridler asks us this month,

“What are you hungry for under this Full Wolf Moon? The wolf reminds us to connect to our hunger, to notice what desires are calling for our attention. Our dreamboards can help us bring these desires to light and to being! This is an invitation to not just notice our desires but to begin the important work of tending them, stepping into what we can do to honour what we know of our dreams. What a beautiful way to begin the year.”

The Full Wolf Moon asks: “What are you hungry for?”

The interpretation of my board–>

I am hungry for adventure. Big City and Bright Lights. To go further. I dream of a BRIGHT FUTURE! One where Kim’s rules for living are a guiding factor. One of fitness and enthusiasm. One inspired by the things I love. I am in need of great views that spur my fitness and my photography. The word ULTIMATE is bold! I used yellow-gold textured paper, tropical foliage, and brown polka-dots. So along with these city lights from a big city are natural elements, textures, and colors. My earthy nature is present, yet I am being drawn toward something new, fast, sparkling! I am fit, free, and looking forward with gusto!

Now I get to take steps toward creating this future. I will be keeping this year’s vision boards in the same Strathmore Windpower Drawing pad, it is made from 30% post-consumer fiber and acid free. The pad is spiral bound, 11×14 sheets, and 80 pound weight. The product is made regionally by a company in the neighboring state of Wisconsin. This is my first time starting the practice at the beginning of the year with the intent of completing a collage every month on the full moon.

I am working on living an authentic and full life that is powered and inspired by guiding visions and artful endeavours.

Next New Moon: January 23
Next Full Moon: Feb 7 The Full Snow Moon

The next new moon is on my youngest son’s birthday and the next full moon is on my daughter’s birthday. I am anticipating a very powerful moon dreamboard to come of this time.