When people gather at our Soulful Campfire, they're inspired to share stories about places-- places they have been in the past, places they are right now, places they want to be. And most of all, places that taught them something. At last month's campfire someone offered a story that I really wanted to share. With her permission, here it is. So sit back and listen as she tells her short story of a kayak, the wind and hope.

One of the benefits of being home more is doing more retro-cool, down to earth activities as another way to spend quality time together. Sometimes we read a book out loud to each other, and lately, we've been reading "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which has often made me cry as I read it aloud and also leads to long, soulful conversations. I believe it is the speaking of the words that adds a whole other depth and dimension.

"There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light.”― Barry Lopez from Arctic Dreams So that is what we did. For Summer Solstice this year we celebrated the longest night with light.

Right now, we're in week three of the Creative Discovery Class. Insights and surprises have been pouring in. One participant shared the photo above and wrote:

"One symbol that I keep coming back to is a fiddlehead -- seeing them now fills me with wanting to share in a bounty, and reminds me of life’s potential." She’s seeing these symbols everywhere now!

Once, on May 1st, right after moving into the little town of Shelburne Falls, MA, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it but saw no one there. Then I noticed on the door nob was a little basket full of flowers. So sweet! It was a traditional May Day basket that someone left for us. It delivered a sense of community and inclusiveness that I've always treasured. So in the spirit of spring, creativity, and play, I'm rolling out a basket of classes online.

Yeah!

Forts are always placed in power spots. They're not just points of military strategy, but places on a landscape that have been used throughout time by people as pivotal junctures for trails, trade and travel.

Trees, flowers and shrubs planted in graveyards, back yards and the woods are perennial reminders the layers of time and tangible links to the past. Each year when they burst into life they bring whispers, hums and memories of people who were here before us.

Who knew chocolate in the colonies was SPICY? Flavorings associated with that time period included cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, chili pepper, annatto, allspice, anise, and sugar. Spicy and tingling were not words I had previously associated with the American colonial time period!