oh what I wouldn't do

photo of Madelyn by Michael, Tanglewood books 

(Broadway and Vine)

 Saturday, May 18, 2013

I supply my heart. The morning air is willow then rose soaring to air green. Driving to the All British Field meet we find my favorite car for motoring ~ a 1965 Land Rover in Champagne with a spunky Patagonia tent to go on top for road trips to the Mojave.  Saving mightily.

Tanglewood Books on West Broadway. I am embarking on the feast of reading every single one of Isabelle Allende's books (and at least one in her native Spanish) all throughout the summer.

Great heaps of happiness are hurled at me.  The Summery air smells like poached pears with vanilla, morning coffee and magnolia ~ and I supply my heart.

Is breá liom tú

xo

Maddie

my God happiness exists

~ Directions, North Shore Mountain trails ~ 

(for beauty far beyond comprehension, best enjoyed with an enthusiastic Bernese mountain dog named Lucy)(from the Canton of Berne in Switzerland)

Bring along a backpack with a bottle of water, a bar of dark chocolate and a good book (The Stone Raft by Jose Saramejo in this case) 

Wear your pearls, tie your hair back with sensible hiking shoes of course.


Head north on Dudley until the very end of the avenue where you will come upon a thousand steps just beyond a grove of Cypress trees, somewhat steep, spilling down into the side of the mountain into the realm of the sensual.

Be sure to hold space in your soul for all the beauty that will push up against your ribcage and break your heart spilling things into the rippled light.   You will quickly notice an increased desire to grow and thrive.

And oh the light.  Lemon yellow coral leaves quivering by the side of mountain pools, tiny berries wine red or the color of strawberries swelling on branches. Golden tendrils of sun curling playfully by the silvery blue waters edge.  Aquamarine lichen, deep violet flowers fluttering here and there.

Watch out for bears. (black, curious, slow)

Choose one of so many miniature gardens of moss to rest along a mountain stream as you splash your scarlet cheeks. (Laughing as Lucy ambles up to her hips in the water eclipsed by dancing green reflections sinking slow into the current) Eat chocolate, read a few pages of your book, place pebbles in your pocket to take home. (one for him)

Soon, one way or another, you will come upon a worn, wooden bridge.  Step directly over the bridge and pause halfway to lean over the railing under a spell of tree and sky over a tremendously beautiful glacial reflection of lovelieness.  

Make a wish. Remembering how little you need to have everything.  

xo

Maddie

seven beautiful thoughts on a beautiful Tuesday morning

  

~ one ~

For years he rode a horse named Moonshine. And since he has become so cherishably one of my most favorite people in the world, this adorable bit of information just made me love him even more. Which I do every single day as it so happens.  

Every. Single. Day. He makes me get my shine on.


~ two ~

Listen: I am counting the days hopping up and down utterly impatient to dance into Serendiptiy to teach 'practical magic'  with my beautiful friend Jen Gray (who just happens to be the very embodiment of magic in my humble opionion)   This Fall with some truly magnificent shiny women nestled in glorious beachside cottages by the sea. A breathtaking gathering and oh so necessary for my soul. Sipping wine by the fire,  skipping shooting stars along the water's edge, shouting 'alleluia!!!' to the glorious sunrise ever morning.  

And the best part, however, is you can come too.  Yes!!! I would so love to see you there!

~ three ~

I painted my nails yesterday. Trout pout. That's right. Trout pout! Dont' you just adore it? Makes me holler with delight for the name alone.  Anyway, I love swishing my nails with polish. It makes me hold my world so tenderly.

~ four ~

I made cookies yesterday.  Chocolate, wild cherry oatmeal cookies.  I should clarify: Chocolate, wild cherry oatmeal with walnuts and scoops of granola and almonds too.  Michael wandered over and  offered enthusiastic suggestions on other things to toss in.  He is incable of following a recipe and I love that about him. Did I mention he used to ride a horse named moonshine?  With a round white patch on her hip like a reflected moon.

~ five ~

I forgot to mention what I had for breakfast this morning. Coffee!  A tangelo!  And sprouted grain toast with Irish butter (so yellow!) and my darling friend Jennette's honey from her very own honey bees.  Yumm.

~ six ~ 

The giveaway!  Oh my goodness!  Carlanda Brown Williamson!  You won!  Pease email me at madelynmulvaney@gmail.com with your particulars so we can set you up and mail out your book!  *sound of cheering*

~ seven ~

what a pretty day out on my glorious Pacific Westcoast ~ I may go for a long hike or bike ride or take photo's in Gastown. Or imagine I live here for a day or two or three.  Or I might do nothing at all.

Listen to music for sure, anyway.  Tegan and Sara. I love them.

Happy Tuesday soulshines,

my heart is so full

xo

Maddie

    

 


OBXAerials from Bryan Harvey Films on Vimeo.

Photocraft ~ by Susan Tuttle and Chisty Hydeck ~ a giveaway!!!

This morning is sunlight and coffee and music (humming along). Poached eggs and sprouted grain toast, avocado.  (because you can never have enough avocado ~ spread it generously on the grainy toast with a little humus and pepper ~ then top with a jiggly poached egg and you are in heavenly heaven)

This morning is a beautiful giveaway of a  magnificent book 'Photocraft' co-written by Susan Tuttle and Christy Hydeck.  

It's a most marvelous book.  Exquisitely illustrated, it teaches you how to transform your much loved photo's with oh so simple photoshop techniques and shooting tips. Take off your lens cap!  Race out into the day and shoot with all of your being inspired by dreamscapes and a poetic way of seeing all that magic that surrounds you.

I am pretty gosh darn pleased as pickles to say that I have a poem published in this book as well. I typed the poem on my father's typewriter.  And my daughter Tess illustrated my poem with a polaroid I think is darling.  So proud.

ARTography!

And hey. Listen. I am in love.  I am deliriously happy. It's Springtime.  I want to give away something as well.  So simply by leaving a comment here one most delightful peep will win a copy of Photcraft aaaaaaaand a month of 'My Sweet Muse' emails beginning on the first day of May. 

Happiness!

Leave a comment.  Leave a poem.  Leave a link to a song. 

Or just leave one word ~ a favorite word.  Mine is f o r t u n a.

I am going to buy a Jade plant for Michael's house today.  He doesn't have any, not a one,  and this is certainly a travesty.  I am on it. 

I am obsessed with buying jade plants and I don't intend to stop anytime soon. My bathroom needs immediate attention but this is far more important.  

love,

Maddie 

pst

fabulous FABULOUS video compliments of 
Relyn

_ _ _ _

Lucy and I in the mountains on a morning profound with light ~  'home' just got so much bigger as I reshape my everyday life

('if you get a chance take it, if it changes your life... let it' 

~ bob marley)

Goooooood morninnnnnnnnnnng!  I am eating chocolate buttercream birthday cake for breakfast with Yerba Matte tea leftover from my daughter Tess's 21st birthday party last night. I'm easy to please as long as there is cake around.  

Tess's birthday was an all day celebration which began at Sophie's Cosmic Cafe and ended circling around a fire in the garden with wine and chatter and children racing all around. It's possible my heart grew a kazillian sizes last night I love her so much. But seriously, how does a beautiful, peaceful baby with legs like spaghetti grow into such an exquisite true being?  I have no idea.  I could cry for the journey and being blessed with her heart. This is one journey that is too personal really for words but I can't wait to continue on the next 21 years with my daughter.

...well....

I was hoping to avoid the topic but I can't. You know.  (_ _ _ _)

It's possible that taking off your bulletproof vest and leaning into a beautiful connection can evermore teach you about who you want to be as an artist, a teacher, a human...a beloved.  I'm leaning in to all these deep and resonant mysteries bestowed on me. I'm so proud of myself I don't know whether to laugh or cry or leap up and down like a crazy person. And I can't stop talking about it.  I'm sorry but there you have it.

I used to have so many questions and learned to surrender to living my way into the answers  ~ and now ~ all the answers are flowing in.  In any case I understand the golden hues better than I understand blue for a change and it makes my eyes well up with happy tears of gratitude.  It's important to spell this out.  But mostly I am just insanely happy.  It's almost bone jarring.

Speaking of insanely happy the sweet bundle of fur is Michael's puppy Lucy you see in the photo above. I really love Lucy ~ she is somewhat protective of her relationship with Michael but I am tiptoeing in with lots of shared jammy toast nibbles and back rubs.  We are going to make peanut butter cookies together next week. I think I am growing on her a little more each day:)

I don't know about you, but this time of year always has me excited for road trips.  This year is going to be particularly awesome I just know it and I am scheming some beautiful motoring in the next few months.

I can't decide.  Archery or swordfighting?  Love the first free class option.  If anyone out there wants to join me by all means do. 

Also ~ and ~ I am so honored to have a poem featured in this book, Photocraft  written by my friends Susan Tuttle and Christy Hydeck. My daughter Tess illustrated my poem with a most beautiful polaroid.  

Pop by on the weekend because I have a giveaway planned compliments of Susan and and Christy you won't want to miss. I am terribly fond of giveaways.

and on this happy note

have a magical day sweetpeeps

xo

Maddie

spring thaw

I don't know what's wrong with me but just this morning I burst into tears right in the middle of singing along to a happy song in the car.  

Just. Like. That. 

And not the lovely kind of bursting into tears (sweet tiny sniffles, diamond tears, pretty flushed cheeks)  but the messy kind where you make weird noises catching your breath in the midst of it all that you hope to goodness no-one-ever-hears-you-making. Ever.

It's been quite a week though which might explain it. A week of walking in ever widening circles and exchanging particles as personal as blood.  

A week of aiming arrows in the right direction because I know exactly what I am aiming for.  

A week in the full chase of joy whilst traveling  through an immensity of feelings with a man with a big heart.  And then walking back together.

love

she tries it on, like a dress

she decides it doesn't fit

and starts to take it off.

Her skin comes, too.

Lola Haskins (desire lines)   

In any case it's true what they say about _ _ _ _. (because I can't quite bring myself to say the word too often  yet even though I FEEL it)

And that is quite simply, it's the best thing in the world.  The only thing in the world.  Because when you love something  completely and deeply even in the earliest of beginnings, you love the very essence of that thing. (this is jasmine, this is violet and lily, this is rose)

I feel I am ready to plant roots again. It feels so good and I think everything is strangely perfect. The tidal pull of life has waves written in my destiny crashing ashore whilst something weary withdraws in the undertow with a gentle nod goodbye.  

I'm going to make chickpea salad today - with fennel.   

xo

Maddie 

 

playing dress up for Somerset Life magazine

 

photography by Vivienne McMaster (Madelyn Mulvaney, Jennette Nielsen)


How adorable is this ?  Last week Christen Olivarez chatted with me on the phone about writing a series of articles for Somerset Life magazine. I felt an immediate connection with this lovely woman who gifted me complete freedom to write and flow with anything I wished. I could have chatted all day with her and felt my Muse stirring in my chest with excitement.  

 And within 24 hours I had a fabulous impulse for the first article and teamed up with my dear friend Vivienne McMaster in the role of 'Director of Museworthy Photography'.

And since there is no substitute for heart and soul in anything you do we amplified the beauty with our personal kindred friends, Marybeth Bonfiglio, Jennette Nielsen, Eileen Nishi, and  Latisha Guthrie.

Sunday morning we gathered on a crystalline magical cove by the sea and romped around uttering strange poetics with a sailors mouth and lots of humor and ridiculous joy. 

There was champagne and wheat free strawberry shortcakes and a fire that refused to ignite on the beach ~ we played dress up like a gaggle of teenagers and remembered how important it is to feel beautiful and behave with wild abandon all the while sharing our life's murmurations. 

My friends break me open and crack me up  every time with their generosity and riotous playfulness.  I could kiss the earth in utter gratitude for the joy and love they gift me.  For those days when our steps are heavy it is a beautiful antidote to enliven our hours in the presence of their friendship.

This morning I am working on the article for the Summer issue of Somerset Life and Mingle magazine ~ I want it to feel like something you stand on tiptoe to reach on the highest branch. Or a butterfly that flutters past  on a subway car ~ or like climbing over a craggy stone wall only to discover everything waiting for you right there on the other side. Or a scene from one of my favorite films. (see below!)

I am going to wear out my shoes dancing around the computer for this one. Read more about the extraordinary day from Vivienne.

Wishing you a dazzling Monday,

Maddie

pst 

Persisting Soul is ready to scamper into Springtime April 1st