SWAMP TOUR

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On our second day in Louisianna we went on a swamp tour.  It was my favorite part of our trip I think.  I loved our tour guide, and the sights were just amazing, and so different than Texas.  The trees in the water were just beautiful.  I didn't have my camera with me, just my phone.  I really wish I had brought it on this trip.  I could of captured so many amazing things that I couldn't see with my phone.  Like the peacock in the tree next to our house we stayed in that was there every night.  And the yellow crested night herons in the tall trees of the swamp.  And the little yellow birdies that were flying around the swamp.  So many times I said, damn I wish I had brought my camera!  I was just in awe of the swamp.  Everything about it.​

​click on the images above to see them larger.

1. tour guide feeding the aligators a weenie // 2. crazy windy hair on the boat while it was going super fast // 3. beautiful trees // 4. more trees // 5. alligator // 6. my auntie holding a baby alligator

I took a million photos of the trees, but I decided to spare you and just share a few.  Really, they all look the same, but man they are beautiful!  Ill be back soon with pics from the plantation we went to.​

STAYING IN SLIDELL

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This was the backyard of the house we stayed in.  It was so magical and peaceful.  I was smitten by the shadows and reflections on the water.  My favorite part was seeing beautiful red headed woodpeckers in those trees the whole time.  Right after telling my cousins about the flicker/woodpecker family being my astrological animal totem according to the native americans.  I have seen a few woodpeckers from a distance, but never up close like that.  I saw two different species that Ive never seen in Texas.  And then, when I got home, I saw my very first woodpecker in my own backyard!  I couldn't believe it.  It was so so magical, especially after the connections that my vacation brought about.  ​

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​My cousins and I really bonded on this trip.  We talked alot about animal spirits, tarot, crystal healing, our life plans and soul purposes.  It was really amazing to open up to them in this way and for it to be something we all were on the same level with.  Honestly something I never ever thought would happen within my family.  There was even a night when I read everyone's tarot, even my nanna!  And it was amazing how connected each reading was to their lives.  It was unbelievably rewarding to feel safe with my family in these respects.  For me personally, it made me feel even more connected with them.  The women in my family have a deep rooted strong connection to each other, whether or not we hang out or talk alot doesnt matter.  There is a thread between us all the keeps us so safetly jointed to one another. 

This wall of paintings above was very significant.  After telling my cousins about the woodpecker (the top left image is one, but its hard to tell in this photo, its sitting on top of a man), they looked up their animal spirit and were both the raven.  And we also talked about my parents alot, and my connections with 'two birds' being them, and my concerns about losing their house.... And the opossum has been by my side for a few months now.  So we walked in, sat down, and then began to look around, and all at once we noticed the painting above us... a woodpecker, raven, opossum and two birds sitting on top of a nest with keys.  What the heck?  We were pretty much floored.  And to the locals probably looked like wacko tourists staring at these animal paintings.  We all took it as a pretty big sign.  ​

Then when we were done eating, one of the locals, an older man, walked up to me and asked me if i was an artist.  I told him yes, and he said he could tell from the way I looked.  Then he asked me what kind of artist, and I told him.  He he figured I was a jewelry artist.  How cool is that?  Then he told us that his friend painted those paintings we were so into... I told him about our connections with them and he was so pleased to tell his friend.  Every local we came in contact with in Slidell was so nice.  ​

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Some moments from the place we stayed that I really enjoyed was having my morning coffee and walking around the property looking at all the things that were different than back home in Texas, which was just about everything.  In the bushes I found that super amazing glass bottle above.  Still not positive what it is.  Alot of people said antique water bomb or antique oil lamp.  Im leaning towards oil lamp b/c the cast iron top has a peice that goes down inside that looks like a wick would go into it, and it has screw laces on the top of the glass, which means it definitely attaches to something else.  It was kind of funny... I was so excited to find it and what I loved most about it was the coloring and appeal from laying on the ground for so long, and I came in the kitchen to find my cousin washing it!  I gasped at her, and everyone started laughing b/c I didn't want it clean.  They all thought I would want it cleaned up.  I was like noooo!!!  Ha ha.  So now, it doesnt look like it does above.  (don't worry dee, i still love you!)​

I found the leaf above and just thought it was the prettiest leaf with all of the speckles on it.  And I found two dove feathers.  I was super excited when I found the pine cones still on the branch!  I was so careful with it the whole time, and then it broke during the last few hours of our ride home... Total bummer.  But its okay, at least I still have it.  The pine trees are amazing in that area!​

Ill be back with so much more!  Btw, Im about to start listing some of my new wall hangings in the shop.  Some that were sneak peeked in my latest lookbook, Sea Song.​

VACATION DAY ONE

​You can click on all of the images to make them appear bigger.

This past week I spent 5 days with the women in my family in Louisianna.  The pics above are from the first travel day.  The I am so ready to get the heck out of here for a while day...  ​

​On the way up there, we stopped in Schulenburg to pee, and it happened to be right where I would stop with my parents every year on the way home from the Houston Quilt Show to get candied pecans.  I was super excited to go there.  As soon as I walked in the smell brought me right back.  A wonderful way to start the trip.

These are my women.  My Nanna, her sister and two daughters, and my aunt, my mom's sister.  It was so nice to be with just them for a few days.  There is something magical about having just feminine energy together.  Two of our days were devoted just to driving, so we really only had three days there, and we fit alot in, in those three days.  We stayed in Slidell so we could be away from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans the whole time.  ​

Day one, we drove to New Orleans for the voodoo shops.  But I had forgotten how touristy it is down in the French Quarter and I was very disappointed with all of the shops like that down there.  They just seemed so hoaky.  And we didn't have enough time to really just walk the streets for a long time and find the good stuff.  But what I did love about it was the street bands we would pass.  They were amazing.  Eclectic, groups of young folks with dogs, banjos and washboards.  They were all wonderful and mesmerizing to look at.  I could of just sat and watched them all day.  I just loved seeing them do their thing.  My second favorite part was just going into a little bar and chatting with the local bartender and listening to good music.  I was turned onto the pandora station The Devil Makes Three.  Check it out, its great!  Oh, I also ate the best fish Ive ever had in my life that day.  It was yellowfish on top of grilled asparagus and portabello in a red cajun sauce of some kind.  It was seasoned so perfectly.  Im not much of a seafood lover, and this changed my mind in a big way.  ​

Then when we got home, I realized between the 6 of us women, there was 9 bottles of liquor and wine.  Ha ha.  So we stayed up until 2 am drinking and laughing our asses off.  That is one thing I love about my family.  They can laugh like no one else Ive ever heard.  And they tell the funniest stories youve ever heard.  They had me belly laughing so hard it hurt.  It was so nice.  I haven't laughed like that in a very long time.  ​

I have sooooooo many photos to share, so Im going to break them up into several posts.  Maybe more than one a day.  Warning, I took alot of photos of trees.  ​

NEW MOON REPORTS

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The new moon astrological reports are now live.  Check them out under the 'ASTROLOGY' tab above.  Such a positive amazing time we are in.  Go check out the overall video as well as your personal one.  There is also an amazing chakra aligning meditation from Moondaughter and a special lotion from Gypsy Moth Sol.  I didn't contribute this time around since I was too busy with my vacation.... which was awesome!  Ill be back over the next several days with tons of photos from my trip to Louisianna with my family.  ​