Hitting Send

I was recently invited to visit a butterfly garden and thought it would be a Wonderful field trip upon which to take my BeLoved Readers! Aren’t they fascinating insects? They go through such a dramatic metamorphosis, beginning as an egg, out of which hatches a little caterpillar, it then goes into an inactive pupil stage in a chrysalis, later emerging as a colourful winged adult. What a transformation! I Love these Beautiful creatures! How can one not admire their Beauty? Since they feed primarily on the nectar of flowers and need specific flowers upon which to lay their eggs, the plants are considerately and thoughtfully landscaped for them at the Hallberg Butterfly Gardens in Sonoma County, CA. A Gorgeous treasure set among miles of vineyards and apple orchards. What a gift!

Run by 92-year old Louise Hallberg, who has lived on the property her entire life, the gardens have an apple orchard to one side, eucalyptus trees on another, the green mountains in the far distance, it is a dreamy, magickal place. As mentioned, it is filled with very specific wildflowers for the resident butterflies. Flower-lined paths lead one into grassy meadows of nectaring plants, a host also to many bumblebees. Lucky visitors may glimpse the Beautiful butterflies flitting about. Flit, flit.. yes, yes they do. And, some, such as the skippers, dart about so quickly, I did not stand a chance of capturing pictures.

The woodpeckers have been visiting hehe

The dragonflies were pretty Amazing, too! They were incredibly large and flew high up above the trees, much to our delight. The dragonfly pond adds an enchanting Beauty to this truly special place. The soft murmur of bubbling water in the pond mixed with the wind gently dancing through the trees. Lovely!

Louise had considerately awaited our arrival to release a few of the emerged California dogface butterflies. The above cage was brought out, and among its chrysalis-filled treasures, were a few of the California state insect, ready to make their way into the world. What’s that? You didn’t know that California had a state insect? Nor did I! hehe But, we do! The California dogface butterfly! Are you ready?

Isn’t it Beautiful? Yes, yes it is, indeed! And, how very kind of it to sit still while I took a picture! Thank you, Dear One! Sorry you did not want to open your wings a bit more, but we shall take what we can get, and be Grateful! Ohhh, but Loiuse had yet another surprise in store! Ready?

The above Painted lady was a welcome visitor just prior to our departure. A Lovely send off. Many thanks to Louise and the butterflies for sharing so much with us. It was a memorable and special adventure to have had. What treasures lie among your neck of the woods, Dear Reader?

Love and Blessings,
Antonia

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.

I’ve been hiking around the local Northern California mountains, and I cannot help but notice that I always end up taking varying paths. There are so many of them, I’ve often found myself stopped along the mountain’s Glorious side, gray melding into greens and golds, staring down at two sets of worn pathways through the plethora of Beautiful trees wondering to myself which one to journey. I looked at a doe grazing along the edges, who seemed unconcerned by my presence, or ability to find my way. Which road did I take up? Fortunately this is a popular mountainside, and despite the many ways to traverse it, there’s no real threat of getting lost. I’m certain that I’ve never taken the same roads up and back, yet, I always find myself safely in the same parking lot at the bottom by the end. I smile to myself and think of the metaphor reflecting the many roads before us in life, and how we choose which to travel.

Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be — because you only have one life and one chance to do all the things that you want to do.

Many of us are going through some major life path changes right now. How can we know which paths are the right ones? Which of the many options will lead us towards a better outcome? If we stop and reflect, the signposts lie within our bodies, life and relationships. I have learned that things are not always as they seem, and that we all have very different routes to take to accomplish what we set out to do in this lifetime. It is only ourselves that can judge if the path we’re on is the right one. But, when we’re doing what we set out to do and following our true course, life goes far more smoothly, and the bumps are far more manageable. If we’re constantly frustrated, in despair, or have a nagging feeling of uselessness, then we’re probably not on the right life path. Life is far too short to be wasted away by living from a fearful place, holding back from our real dreams and goals.

Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.

How do we move from where we are to where we want to be? Setting clear goals of that which we wish to accomplish and moving towards them every day, we can proactively work towards success. I really believe that answers lie within, and trusting inner guidance along the way is very important. By staying grounded, centered and in the moment, where the real power lies, we can hear the wisdom within as we are guided in the right directions to take. Asking for support from friends and family can also be helpful, for they too, want to see us living our best life. It’s so important that the path we choose is that which makes our heart sing and spirit soar, brings joy and makes us happy, for that is not only why we are here, but also lets us know that we are, indeed, journeying the right path. You deserve the best life you can lead, and I wish you Blessings on the journey which will take you there.

Love and Blessings,
Antonia

Make new friends
but keep the old
one is silver
and the other gold.
~Traditional Girl Scout Song~

I remember singing those lyrics when I was an elementary school student at Waldorf school. It’s true, too. Our treasured friends, old and new alike, are such a gift. It’s also a very apropos song for my recent birthday party, which blended some very dear friends I have known for most of my life, with more recently acquired gems. How Lovely and Blessed, I thought to myself on Sunday, as I sat in the living room, admiring those in attendance.

For the week leading up to this year’s birthday, I had been thinking about my fifth birthday and the two cakes I had that year. As I looked around the party this weekend, I realized that a few people had been in attendance at that fifth birthday. “Do you remember the two birthday cakes at my fifth birthday?” I asked them, not actually expecting them to recall the desserts, but enjoying the possibility, “One was purple, with blackberries around its edges; the other had candy corns adorning it!” I looked around the room and pointed to a few of my oldest friends, “You were there,” I delighted, “And, so were you!” I told another, huge smile upon my face. I mean really, Dear Readers, how special is that? Very, very, indeed. Others in the room were pretty Amazed by this, as well, for honouring our old friendships is a special pleasure, which most can appreciate. I am so lucky that they are still in my life, and that they were once again able to share in the celebration of another journey ‘round the Sun for me in this lifetime. It means a lot to me.

I also had such fun spending time with some of the newer friends in my life, as I have not been in this location for long, and meeting new people is always such a Gorgeous process. Sharing in commonalities, I giggled my way through an outrageous conversation with a relatively new friendship. We were clearly comfortable with each other, and had a really good time playfully joking together. I was so Grateful for her, and the exchange we had. Then, I enjoyed some time spent in a more spiritual conversation, with another Beautiful new friend with whom I also have a great deal in common, but a very different kind of mutual admiration. Awesome!

I tend to agree that when we connect with people, it’s for a reason, season or lifetime, and it is always so interesting to me to watch how different connections play out. I am very Grateful for the deeply respectful relationships in my life, and the Blessings each connection brings in its own way. Good times along the road of life, where different faces can come and go; one is silver and the other gold. All a Wonderful gift. Thank you, Dear Ones, for sharing with me this circle of life. You are so appreciated!

Love and Blessings,
Antonia