GENEROSITY, GRATITUDE, AND GARLIC

Although my family relocated to the small village of Amherst, WI, just nine weeks ago, we feel comfortable calling these rolling hills Home.  The overwhelming warmth and communal spirit found here has made this transition truly joyful for my entire family.  My heart is at ease; I was taking quite a big leap leaving my beautiful community in the Blue Ridge Mountains for the unfamiliar north woods.  

There were so many unanswered questions nine weeks ago, with so many prayers of fear from those around us.  I am happy to report all has been resolved perfectly.  We have a a bounty of delicious, homegrown, organic food, a cozy nest in the middle of Amherst, a healthy, crawling, laughing Logan, a healthy, jumping, kicking Maddox, a new business license, an amazing school for the children to attend, and quickly growing online support of my artistic ventures.  The kids happily spend most of the days outside swimming, fishing, hiking, and working on the farm with us.  The garlic harvest has been the best in years.  Things have definitely taken a turn for the better, not that they were bad before. So it goes.  . . The shamanic dance Mr. McKenna speaks of, is raging on.


Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering its a feather bed.
– Terence McKenna

Today I found a list of desires and aspirations I made in Asheville last December right after Logan was born.  Most of these aspirations were based upon my increased frustration and intolerance of the social systems at play around me.  

I made this list to become empowered and take action.  I was so tired of complaining everyday.  I was so tired of feeling overwhelmed at the lack of consciousness concerning environmental and health issues in the public forum, tired of listening to the horrible war frenzied newcasts, tired of scrolling through my facebook feed to find a magnificent display of ignorance, hatred, and greed.  So tired of my kindergartener bringing home math and reading homework Every night.  

Anyhow, here is my list of things to manifest in 2014

1.  Grow my own food
2.  Enroll Maddox in a school I LOVE or homeschool
3.  Start a business with my husband
4.  Be part of a truly sustainable community of conscious individuals
5.  Make more art
6.  Enjoy more time with extended family
7.  Go to bed at night without anger or a sense of defeat
8.  Regain flexibility and acrobatic skills of 12 year old Eleonore
9.  Fall more and more in love with my husband everyday
10. Truly KNOW I am a wonderfully magical mother

A fairly short and straightforward list.  I have never been much of a list person outside of college, but this list represented how I was going to feel Empowered and Happy in 2014. I felt pretty disenchanted at the game everyone around me seemed to be going along with. . .a sentiment I feel from many people around me, all the time. It was time to take virtuous action and stop feeling crazy all the time.

Here is how everything is going 8 months in!  Please gain confidence in this example.  My passion and intuition guides me greatly in manifesting this everevolving vision.

1.  My husband and I are now working on Gunderson's Great Garlic Farm in Amherst.  These horse plowed fields produce a ton (literally) of garlic every year.  In addition to the garlic, we are growing an abundance of watermelons, snap peas, cucumbers, cabbage, basil, potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, lettuce, broccoli, and chard.  My sons witness our food growing everyday. I have had a wonderful time experimenting with pickling and raw food recipes.

I have also been wildcrafting a variety of fruits and herbs for feast and medicine including:  nettles, motherwort, rose petals, elderberries, cedar, yarrow, comfrey, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, and wild grapes.

2. Maddox is attending the most magical school ever, the Tomorrow River Community Charter School.  Check it out!!! http://tomorrowrivercommunityschool.org/
I am absolutely blown away by this tight knit community.  So much gratitude to all the parents and teachers involved in this extraordinary Waldorf-inspired school.  It is truly a dream come true!  I was prepared to homeschool.  Now I can make more Art!

3.  Todd and I now have a business license from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture to sell garlic, vinegars, pesto, tonics, and pizza.  
We are working in The Village Hive, a community kitchen and bakery in downtown Amherst.  The Hive is a treasure.  We have met so many wonderful people in this beautiful community.  Thank you so much Amy and Vickie, you are amazing goddesses!  We will be selling our garlic scape pesto at the Farmer's Market in Madison with Lon Gunderson from Gunderson's Great Garlic Farm.  Come visit Lon and Todd if you happen to be in Madison on a Saturday morning. 

4.  I feel this aspiration has been met in wonderful, unexpected, magical ways. Central Wisconsin hosts The Energy Fair of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association every year.  Check it out!
Midwest Renewable Energy Association - The Energy Fair 

The Energy Fair features:

• Over 200 exhibitors - featuring sustainable living and clean energy products
• Over 200 workshops - including introductory level to advanced hands-on education: solar, wind, green building, local sustainable food, and more
• Clean Transportation Show - featuring demonstration vehicles and exhibitors
• Green Building Demos - displaying sustainable building techniques in action
• Sustainable Tables - including workshops, chef demos, and a farmers' market to bring sustainability to your dinner table
• Inspirational keynotes, lively entertainment, great food, and local beer

The Artha Community is also located in our vicinity.  This is an amazing self sufficient community. Check it out!
http://www.arthaonline.com/

Furthermore, Alice's Rabbit Whole is just down the road.  This magical resource is part of an everevolving dream coming true.  

Visit Alice's Rabbit Whole online for wonderful skincare products!
 http://www.alicesrabbitwhole.com/

5. I have had the time and space to make the art realized within my heart of hearts.  I have had more online inquires and sales in the past 3 months than ever before.  Thank you so much friends and family!  Alma Alchemista is beginning to thrive!  Keep your eyes out for my new children's art, original collages, a new calender for 2015, and tarot.  If you are interested in a custom horoscope, contact me today!
http://almaalchemista.blogspot.com/ 

6.  Todd and I have had the fortune of spending time with so many family members this year!  We are so grateful for all of you.  Of course with the arrival of a new baby comes a cascade of doting relatives; we have enjoyed this and found real quality time to connect with extended family.  We were able to share our new home with my parents before they left for a 3-5 year stint in Germany.  We have been able to see so many relatives in Wisconsin in very beautiful natural settings, my children could not any more fortunate.  Todd's amazing brother, Jason, and his beautiful wife Christa, just left this morning.  What a lovely time we shared together!  In times of growing national anxiety and fear, the joy found within family love is priceless. 

7.  I have been going to bed exhausted AND full of pure love every night...beat from working on the farm and satisfied, especially if I had made art that day.  Of course I still listen to the news and stay aware of external factors AND it have found a less stressful pattern in a rural farm community, growing my own food, watching my children enjoy nature.  Don't let fear control you!  Take action.  Stay present.  The universe supports you with unconditional compassion and unfathomable potential!

8. I have been practicing everyday!  This aspiration is not impossible!

9. This is the easiest one.  I am constantly amazed at the depth two people can connect physically, spiritually, emotionally.  I am blown away at the magical evolution of our partnership.  Ours is a relationship based within an ancient sacred rite.  I have truly been blessed with my perfect partner.

10.  My beautiful sons fill my life with unbelievable joy and laughter everyday.  I do Know I am a wonderful mom.  I know I am a compassionate, magical mother.  They are so good at reminding me.  If you are reading this, you most likely a magical mother too.  Remind yourself everyday how awesome you are.  . . while being humble at the same time.  Remind yourself how you are going to change your world and your children's worlds with pure love.  Remind yourself how powerful and full of love you are.  Tell your kids how awesome they are.  When I get down about the world I turn to my children's and husband's joy.  That is what it is all about really.  Enjoying each other.  Joy nurtures freedom. . .in true freedom and in real love you are fearless.  You are magic.