Wisdom of the Butterfly

Posted by Barbara Techel
Wisdom of the Butterfly
Photo credit: Paula Pipping Hirschmann (my sister)
This morning I had the impulse to randomly open one of my journals where I collect quotes because I wanted to share one with you today.
It so happened (synchronicity!) to be one about the butterfly. This made me think of the beautiful photo of a butterfly my sister posted on her wall yesterday.
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. – Maya Angelou
This got me thinking about the wisdom of butterfly that feels fitting for me and perhaps it may for you too.
I think oftentimes we forget how far we have come and about all the positive changes we’ve made in our lives. How easy it is to think we are not enough, haven’t done enough, and need to be and do more.
This has been a practice for me to know that I am enough…no matter what. All those years I was in the “spotlight” so to speak with my work with my disabled dog, Frankie, and now I’m in a place where I’m content with more solitude.
But yet, I still have this need to make a difference in the world. And the butterfly reminded me that I am…no matter what…just as long as I honor my true heart and live from that space.
All the different layers of myself I’ve peeled away and shed over the years have brought me to this place called me that I am right now. A place, I for the most part, am quite happy about. I’m happy with the changes I’ve made for myself, though not always easy.
And so the butterfly reminds me to pause and remember all I’ve done to get to this point. All the little steps I’ve taken along the way (and will continue to). And as I sit for a moment to look at the photo of this butterfly I see it coming in and landing ever so softly on the flower. In my minds eye I see it opening and closing its wings in the most graceful way – reminding me that there is beauty in the pause and there is beauty when we take flight once again…and that there is beauty in each moment and stage of our lives.
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The Changing Light and Contemplation

Posted by Barbara Techel

The Changing Light and Contemplation

I enjoy this time of year and how the light is casting different shadows and landing in new places it hadn’t all summer. Like this photo of Gidget with the light falling across her face, looking like she is in contemplation, I feel in that same place, too.

I’m not yet ready to let go of summer, while at the same time, ready to move into the season of cooler air, bursts of color, and a time I like being outdoors more while I also feel drawn to hunker down at home, too. But these last few weeks I’ve felt suspended in this in-between place.  Perhaps because there are a few weeks of summer to go, but yet I yearn for fall on the near horizon.

It’s like a tug of my heart trying to hold on, while a pull of my heart wanting to bring in the season that is my most favorite. But the light…the light is my reminder that it is on its way. And that this in-between place I feel will soon melt into leaves crunching under my feet, a cool breeze blowing through my hair, cozy nights wrapped in a blanket around the chiminea, and nights with the moon so full and bright it takes my breath away.

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Have Van Will Travel Journal: The Conversion Begins

Posted by Barbara Techel
Have Van Will Travel Journal: The Conversion Begins
Phase one of van conversion

I’ve shared that John and I are in the process of researching and converting one of his work vans into a vehicle we can more easily travel with. It all started because we wanted to bring our dogs, Kylie and Gidget on vacation this fall. I’m still shaking my head in amazement at how this has opened a whole new world to us – a world of people who travel in this way, taking vans and converting them.

Many of you expressed interest that you wanted to follow our journey with this, so I’m starting what I’m dubbing, “Have Van Will Travel Journal.” As we make steps to convert the van I’ll share with you here.

There is only so much research you can do before you realize you best start implementing some steps or come later this fall we won’t have a van to travel in!

We do have to keep reminding ourselves that this year the van will just be a place for us to sleep one night down to Tennessee and one night back home. When we arrive at our destination we will be staying in a cabin we’ve rented.

But John is a planner and wants to have everything in place so we can easily add as we go along (it’s good to have a planner – I’m not complaining). Today he began pulling out all the shelves and taking down the partition that separates the front from the back. We thought next year we would add swivel seats to give us more room in a sense with a place to sit when not riding.  But we were very excited to discover you don’t have to buy brand new seats, but rather they make brackets to convert the seats already in the van.  So it looks like that will be included in phase one of our conversion.

The van is roughly 84 square feet and phase one will also likely include the following (we still have to price it all out):

  • Solar panels for top of van so we can have electricity even when not hooked up to electrical
  • A/C unit which mounts to the top of the van (a must for this gal here who is in menopause!)
  • Installing electrical plugs so we can plug in at campgrounds
  • Bunk beds that will run horizontal along the back of the van (this will allow for more space)
  • Storage units that will go behind the bunk beds.  Our beds in the back by the double doors that open out. Having the storage units behind the beds will make for easy access for things we need.
  • A small refrigerator
  • Lighting
  • Flooring

I might be missing a thing or two here, so I’ll check with the boss and update you next time.  🙂

Phase two we hope to have in place to travel out west sometime in 2017 and we are looking into adding the following (we will likely stay at campgrounds for this whole trip):

  • A screen tent that will attach to the side of the van. A place where we can stretch our legs, cook, and hang out.
  • Two burner stove/small sink and wee little kitchen area.
  • Some type of small window or two because the van has no windows on the sides.
  • Possibly a compost toilet
  • And as research continues and we learn more, and we will likely meet folks in campgrounds, I’m sure new ideas will come to light!

My job will be to make it feel homey and cozy without making it too girly.  haha!  So steps are taking place now toward this adventure that we really never had on our bucket list, but now something we are both very excited about.

Well, I must run as Prince Charming (my friend Marie calls John this) says all this hard work this morning means we will have to go for a little bite to eat and an adult beverage, which likely also means another van planning session too.  I’m in!

Stay tuned for the next installment of Have Van Will Travel Journal!

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