Ashley ·
Springtime on the Oregon coast. Rainshowers followed by sunshine, green of every shade, and rain boots. I love this time of year. Full of so much change, promise and excitement. These are just a few images from around my house/studio recently. I'll write more soon, but for now I'll let the photos speak for themselves. Happy first day of April!
Ashley ·
On our way back from our recent trip to Brietenbush, Justin and I stopped off at Silver Falls State Park. Neither of us had been there, and we were both amazed by how beautiful it is! We didn't have much time to explore, and I can't wait to go back and hike around with my camera in hand.
Happy Friday folks!
Ashley ·
After my yoga class today a friend asked how I was doing. I could tell she meant it in regards to my health and Lyme Disease, not just the usual meaningless "how are you?" we robotically repeat through out our day. I told her that I had been feeling much better, but had taken a step backward in the last couple of weeks. We talked about it for a bit, and as she was turning to leave she smiled and said "you're just on a path, with ups and downs."
And it's true. My experience with Lyme Disease is a path that I will likely be on for the rest of my life in some way or another, although the hope is that it will take a back seat at some point (preferably in the way waaaay back:). One of the most frustrating things about it (and there are many) is that there are so many unexpected twists and turns on this particular path. I rarely know how I'm going to feel from day to day, and as happened in the last couple of weeks, I might suddenly take a turn for the worse for no discernible reason.
I used to (and admittedly still do) drive myself crazy obsessing about WHY I felt worse today than I did yesterday, or why my symptoms had increased. Granted this was mostly during the nearly 5 years in which the disease went undiagnosed, allowing room for me to come up with a million different causes for feeling like crap most of the time. I now try to remember that I have a disease, the majority of which is not in my control, and to admit that sometimes I won't be able to know why I feel one way or another.
That doesn't mean that it doesn't still suck big time, or that I don't occasionally have a total melt down and cry and feel angry and sad and sorry for myself, and mostly just like "THIS ISN'T FAIR!!" Because I do all of those things. In fact I did exactly that about a week ago when I finally admitted that I was taking a step backwards in my progress. More pain, and aching joints, and limping around with a swollen, hurting foot, and being tired and feverish and worst of all not being able to just live my life in the way I want. Sometimes I feel so frustrated and angry that I don't even know what to do with all of my feelings.
But then, of course, life goes on. I adjust and try to remember that it's a path, and not a straight one at that. It is full of zigs and zags, and there's no map to follow. I have to just keep trekking along (or limping as it were), and try to remember that it will get better, and to enjoy all of the good things in my life in the meantime.
There are many, so that makes it easier.
Ashley ·
Last week we went to Breitenbush Hot Springs for a couple of nights; my parents had given us a gift certificate for Christmas and we were eager to cash it in. Breitenbush has become one of my favorite places in the world in the last couple of years; If you haven't been there, GO. It's an amazing intentional community and worker-owned cooperative on a gorgeous piece of land.
Cozy, geothermal heated cabins, a funky old lodge, and many quirky outbuildings make up the property. Everywhere you look there's some beautiful detail, a buddha statue tucked into the hillside, or prayer flags hung in the trees.
The hot springs pools are set out under the trees, overlooking a river, and there's a super cool old wooden sauna. It's one of those places that feels set apart from the rest of the world (the fact that there's no cell service adds to this feeling:). Three delicious vegetarian meals a day, an amazing sense of community, awesome hiking trails....you get the idea.
We spent our days there soaking in the tubs, reading, hiking the mossy green forests, and just enjoying doing nothing. I always leave Breitenbush feeling refreshed and with a renewed perspective on my life.
And of course I took lots of photos!
Enjoy, and happy Wednesday.
Ashley ·
Last week I moved my jewelry making operation out of our house and into a new studio space! I had recently been feeling like I wanted to create more separation between my work and home life, and I was craving change. Sometimes it just feels really good to shake things up.
I found a really sweet little space in a building down town that's run by our local community art center. The building is in a charming state of disrepair (I like to think of it as bohemian:), but my little studio is bright, clean and warm, with nice light and scuffed old fir floors. I am enjoying settling in and look forward to being able to ride my bike there on summer days, and to being out in the community a little bit more.
Here are a few photos, it's starting to feel like "my" space.
Happy weekend folks!
