happy birthday, little zine……
I can’t believe it’s been a year since I patched together and sent traveling
my first little batch of Ripplesongs, a handmade zine I cobble together each month
with a whole heap of love
to savor and share.
Frankly, I don’t sell many at all……mostly they find homes with people and places near and dear to my heart,
like handmade bouquets I pluck from my garden.
It feels like setting up a farm stand each month and laying out my produce and flowers;
I get as much joy from the whole glorious mess of the process
as I do from seeing the finished product all ready to shine.
If someone comes around to buy, well I like that.
When they don’t, it’s still crazy-joy to scoop it all up and give it away.
Either way it feels like Christmas morning:)
Why?
Because I want to pour you out a river of breeze,
to gather you a bouquet of sweet, soft lay-me-down moments
and hold this sense of relish like a seashell to your ear
so you can hear the whisper in your wounds
because I think maybe that it’s the sound that healing makes
because I feel it so strong inside that you are the priceless art,
more beautiful by design than sea or sunset or gossamer wings,
that there is precious little balm to waste in the hard flee of time
and I choose to share the salve I find
because I know that living can stone you sudden till your heart rattles pieces
and hope can get upended in the tumble
and when you find a well that keeps on giving
your heart stretches out wide and thumps love so ebullient
that it reaches and offers and speaks.
You just want to share the shimmer from the waves you’re riding,
the blooming from your field of dreams.
This is mine.
It may not be “successful,” as some would say.
But it makes my own heart sing
and you’re free to help yourself to as much as you like:)
” Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God.
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
the rest sit round and pluck blackberries.”
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Feel free to browse over some of the pages in each month’s zine over here at my very unkempt little etsy shop,
www.Ripplespeak.etsy.com
Dismal empty right now, but that will change shortly:)
I
Oh dearheart,
The beauty of your heart, your words, your art, your garden (the quintessential you) moves me to tears.
Thank you for being you.
Big grateful hugs for those kind, balmy words, Sue:)
I appreciate the way you encourage my heart.
So much.
Happy weekend,
Jennifer
You are as sweet as honeysuckle! Thank you!
Honeysuckle:) I have some honeysuckle jam on my countertop
right now from the farmer’s market. Really interesting color….sort of
clear gold with a tinge of pink. I love the idea of honeysuckle.
Thank you:)
-Jennifer
One of your little zines Jennifer, sitting on top of a dresser in my meditation/Reiki room amongst a few of my favourite books and a singing bowl. Often when I’m in need of filling my heart or of receiving a message, I will just stop, pause open the zine and take in the message on one of the beautiful pages. It always makes me smile and feel so good when I do. Don’t ever stop creating… your art, photographs, flowers, words, your special touch… there’s so many incredible gifts in all that you touch and create. <3
Don’t ever stop, indeed:) Your words kinda make my heart sing, Suzanne….thank you!
I appreciate the encouragement:)
-Jennifer
Happy birthday to your beautiful zine! My copy sits within reach near my computer, ready to encourage and inspire me. Thank you so much for sharing your sweet soul with all of us!
I love that you have a copy nearby….thanks for letting me know:)
I appreciate you and your openhearted way:)
-Jennifer
Wishing you and your zine many more years of bursting forth with love and inspiration!
Bursting forth:) I love that:)
Thanks, Fi, for your kindhearted encouragement
and generosity:)
-Jennifer
I hope you received my email, but I never know anymore because for whatever reason, I can’t figure out, they mostly get returned to me…? But, I LOVE your zines so much, that sometimes my heart fills up so much that tears have to flow. My heart runneth over. I thank God for you. The universe must certainly be thrilled to have you. I am.
I sometimes delete emails, accidentally:/ But I got yours and it made my heart sing!
I also sometimes forget to reply (I do in my head but it never makes it to print)
I think I’m in a super forgetful season. Hope it’s just a season!
Anyway, thanks so much for your always kindhearted generous way:)
-Jennifer
A handmade bouquet. I have a handmade bouquet of Rippling right here on my desk, right next to my computer! Sometimes I’ll just pick it up, look and smile. But then, I always smile when I’m around you with your big wide heart open to the world, those beautiful images and words you share. Sigh!
a bouquet of rippling….oh gosh I love that:)
So good:)
Thanks for your sweet encouragement, friend.
I love your way:)
-Jennifer
As long as your heart is singing that is all that matters. More people need to do just that! Thanks for sharing all of your joy.
Well thank you, Sue.
Your little birds are making my heart sing
these days, too:)
-Jennifer
Dear Jennifer, your generous heart is overflowing with gratitude and joy and your source is from an abundant love of what you do. A grateful heart is a happy heart and you have found that it’s more blessed to give than to receive.
Happy Anniversary to your Zine.
Blessings upon blessings for you.
Hugs,
JB
Thanks, Julia.
Good to read that you’re enjoying your gardens again now
that the farm work is less taxing (at least for a while).
Wishing you a most beautiful July:)
-Jennifer
I love your little etsy shop and your sweet ointment for when “living can stone you sudden till your heart rattles pieces” those beautiful words that help get us “upended in the tumble.”
You grace the world in such a sweet & beautiful way ~
Such amazingly beautiful words and images straight from your heart! Priceless….