Being Still — Clementine and Sage

Last Thursday, I finished up these two new Laurels strands. My creative muse is delving deep into all sorts fall inspiration and I built them while imagining the beauty of both a golden autumnal afternoon and a crisp autumn twilight. I’m betting you can guess which represents which!

Last Thursday I also strained a muscle in my back.

I’ve been working hard, putting quite a few extra hours as I prepare for the September restock. Even though I felt the first whispers of pain early last week, I pushed on until a tight knot formed underneath my right shoulder blade. I couldn’t draw in a full deep breath, couldn’t lift my arm away from my body - and no amount of heat/stretching (or, rather, attempting to stretch) was doing any good.

I’ve been known to wish for a day or two of forced relaxation now and then - until that wish is granted and rest becomes necessary. Then I’m all complaints and throw my own personal pity party. By nature, I’m the kind of person that tends to go and go and go from the minute I get up in the morning until I turn out the lights at night - and it’s always been so hard for me to rest when I need it (and before my body forces me into it!).

But I’ve embraced rest this weekend. And it’s helped more than just my sore back.

Yesterday we packed up the truck and the pup, kissed the kitten-kids goodbye, and headed north (and then west) into the Medicine Bow mountains of Wyoming.

We spent the night camped out on the shores of a lovely, secluded lake nestled amongst the pines at the end of the roughest and most difficult road we’ve ever driven. We ate our fill of all the Forbidden Foods we save for special occasions (s’mores for dessert, pancakes for breakfast!) and then, in the morning, we took ourselves on a little hike beneath towering peaks of pristine granite.

Mountain medicine calls for taking things a little more slowly and a little less seriously. For honing in on the beauty of the details and expanding my sights to take in the whole view. For finding moments to be still in BOTH body and mind. I figure that’s a prescription I can get behind.