Recapture my wandering feet and nail them down

I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness and you will acknowledge the Lord.
Hosea 2.9-10

The Swans

Did you too see it, drifting, all night, on the black river?
Did you see it in the morning, rising into the silvery air -
An armful of white blossoms,
A perfect commotion of silk and linen as it leaned
into the bondage of its wings; a snowbank, a bank of lilies,
Biting the air with its black beak?
Did you hear it, fluting and whistling
A shrill dark music - like the rain pelting the trees - like a waterfall
Knifing down the black ledges?
And did you see it, finally, just under the clouds -
A white cross Streaming across the sky, its feet
Like black leaves, its wings Like the stretching light of the river?
And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?
And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?
And have you changed your life?

- Mary Oliver

Love, Alexa

      dear jordie           -->    i am overjoyed that
   you are going to      -->        be home in
 less than two weeks                 it is so weird
that these 4 months                      went by so
quickly maybe                             it is because
because i have                           been partying
so much                                        just kidding.
my performance                            for choir
choir and                                      all I have
one tomorrow                               aka Saturday
We had a                                     performance
on                                               tuesday
 that                                             went
 amazingly                                  well . the,
Agrons                                       are coming
 to my                                       performance
   on Tuesday                          which i am
so so excited                         about about.
I hope you                         had an amazing
som 4 months                       at college. i love
      you and i                   will see you
    in less then                  two weeks and
   i will probably            be there to pick
you up if i am aloud to.   ok i
love    you  love you  love you x infinity
and   will   see   you soon    say hi to
friends   love    your    little   sis


Can't recreate the loops in her handwriting, the punctuation, the drawing in the middle that broke up her sentences. But, you may get a sense of what's smiling in me now.

This morning a package came with a black dress for tonight, a new Kings Of Leon album, and hilarious letters from Jeff and Alli.

I was laughing out loud in Chesters as I read them, their letters always make my entire week.

Okay there is no way I can read philosophy and enjoy my music. Its sounds like driving!! Windows down, ocean and cliffs to the left, sun up above and in my eyes....I want my curving green hills, my downtown, my vineyards flashing past, my rocks and sand to watch the waves from, my friends.

Home is always going to build. I used to think that wasn't my home, that I didnt fit there on the coast - and I was right, I don't fit anywhere. But I am a very happy guest of Oregon, of California, of Massachusetts, and now of South Carolina too. Homes aren't lost, they add onto eachother. You can go back and be a guest again.

How beautiful artmaking is...

Bruce Herman

I just don't have words for the goodness you can feel in it.

I liked it better at this stage.

But the thing is, you can't go back. So you just keep painting honestly, putting down what you see in the mirror as best you can, and take drinks of the mercy that's held in cupped hands in front of your lips.