In the Moment

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Laurie Buchanan

I enjoy writing and photography (and of course, I love red licorice).

My next book, Indelible: A Sean McPherson Novel, Book One, takes place in the Zen-like wooded acres surrounding Pines & Quill, a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest. And while Pines & Quill is fictitious, the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham, WA, where the story takes place is very real. In fact, we took a trip there to take photographs for book promotion purposes. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen some of them.

While watching a video of Zen Master John Daido Loori, an incredible photographer and author of Hearing with the Eye: Photographs from Point Lobos, he said:

“The moment is where our life takes place.
We miss the moment—we miss life.”

I realize that the “big picture” is important too, but in my experience, the moment is essential.

Are you more of an “in the moment” or “big picture” person?

Mary Poppins-esque

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Laurie Buchanan

My friend, Canadian artist Terrill Welch, periodically gifts her readers with step-by-step photos of a painting being born. So revealing, those posts are among my favorites.

With that in mind, I’m sharing with you the behind the scenes “magic” of what took place to capture a photo of me — Mary Poppins style — for an up-and-coming event.

Using the camera in my iPhone 5S, Len was the photographer. As you know, we have loads of fun together. Sometimes we even get carried away; in my case (almost) literally:

Select a location site

Insert prop into the scene

Wait (and wait and wait and wait!) for photographer to get ready

Catch a gust of wind

Erase prop — Voilà!

Coming to a night sky near you

When was the last time you got carried away?

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Harvesting Water, Harnessing Heat

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

During the week I was in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico it became clear that due to sheer lack, hygiene, and safety issues, two of the most basic needs—drinkable water and heat—are of tremendous concern.

With service above self as their motto, the local Rotary Club go to the people in dire need — not to gave a hand out, but a hand up — a fishing pole instead of a fish — educating people as they go.

The local Rotary Club has amazingly provided:

Water Cisterns
587 Cisterns built in 19 Communities
Benefiting 4000+ family members (+ other school & kinder children)
Cost per cistern – US $700

Ecological Stoves
Constructed 1,400 in 29 Communities
Benefiting 5,000 + family members
Cost per stove – US $48
For more information specific to the phenomenal benefits of the small economical stoves, please follow this link: StoveTeam International

To find out how your financial support can help to change lives, please contact:

John Doherty
jd98lv@hotmail.com
Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende
Guanajuato, Mexico

Have you ever had to walk miles to reach drinkable water?
Did you know that smoke from open cooking fires kills twice as many people as malaria?

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

CASA—Center for the Adolescents of San Miguel de Allende

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

On Oct 31 I was privileged to speak at the First Annual Wellness and Spirituality Expo in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico—a benefit to raise funds and awareness toward the fight to stop violence against women and children.

This life-changing event was sponsored by Sibyl English of SIBYL Magazine and SIBELLA Poetry Magazine.

CASA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Mexico’s most vulnerable communities through a wide brushstroke of educational programs. From childhood development to employment and other areas, including domestic violence prevention and support.

To learn more about how your financial support can help to change lives, simply follow this LINK.

Have you ever been paralyzed with fear—afraid for your life?

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Day of the Dead

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

Saludos—greetings—from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where preparations are excitedly underway for Dia de los Muertos—Day of the Dead—in which the many of the local people remember and honor their deceased loved ones.

Though it may sound somber or macabre, it’s not!

The view from my room in the hacienda where I’m staying

Between Oct 31 and Nov 2 it’s a festivo—festive holiday—with eye-popping, colores vivos—vivid colors—everywhere to welcome departed loved ones, believing that their espíritu—spirits—return to earth for a single day each year to spend time with familia—family.

Day of the Dead is celebrado—celebrated—differently all over the world. In Mexico many of the cemetery lápidas—headstones—have elaborate decorations because it’s thought that the spirits stop there first on their way home. The casas—homes—have intricately decorated ofrendas—altars—to welcome departed loved ones.

Stairwell in hacienda – my room’s at the top

It’s believed that the spirits of bebés y niños—babies and children—arrive at midnight on Oct 31 to spend a full day with their families then leave, and the spirits of adultos—adults—arrive the following day.

Bedroom Ceiling in Hacienda by Laurie Buchanan

¿Alguna vez se celebra el día de los muertos
Have you ever celebrated Day of the Dead?

Escuchar con el corazón—listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Lo que no va a cambiar, está eligiendo.”
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Wait Loss

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

Different from weight loss (the shedding of pounds), wait loss (the shedding of patience) is less attractive on any figure.

I try not to do battle with time; clearly, it’s a losing proposition. Yet recently I found myself sitting in a waiting room swarming with other people who—like me—were becoming impatient. Fast!

Breathe yourself through this Laurie…

Inhale to the count of four.
Hold to the count of seven.
Exhale to the count of eight.
Repeat until your name is called.
You can do this.

Time—yours, mine, and ours—is irreplaceable. None of us knows how much of it we have left. Not to be squandered, every moment of this precious commodity should be enjoyed to the fullest.

Are you gaining or losing wait?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Jumping through Mental Hoops – Swoosh!

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

Our brains—like muscles—become stronger with use. Excuses be gone! There are oh-so-many ways to exercise our brains:

The ever popular, jumping to conclusions.
Who among us hasn’t tried pushing their luck?
Dodging deadlines is always good for an extra shot of adrenaline!
There’s the time-tested jogging our memory.
Raising the bar of unrealistic expectations.
The tried-and-true limiting oneself by running out of options.
Stretching the truth forces us to keep double mental books—an especially vigorous workout for the brain!

When was the last time you exercised benefit of the doubt?

Post Script
Nan Palmer, I snuck into your gear…
A special thank you to my friend, Jill Witty, for taking the photograph.

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Quiche Me Quick!

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

Len…I said QUICHE me quick!

At Under Southern Skies, my friend Sandi periodically writes about The Chicken Ladies. As the keeper of several beautiful laying hens, she shares her bounty of fresh eggs with kith and kin, but every now and then ends up with more eggs than she can use in one fell swoop. With that in mind, I recently shared my mom’s Crustless Quiche recipe with her, and thought you might enjoy it as well:

– Bake these in advance and freeze; they thaw out beautifully.
– Fantastic for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
– Perfect for gatherings: baby showers, bridge, bunco, or pot luck functions.

Crustless Quiche with Spinach

CRUSTLESS QUICHE
1/2 cup flour
10 eggs – beat until lemon colored
10oz. carton of cottage cheese (or a bit more if you can’t find that size)
16 oz. package of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup melted butter

Optional—to make it more of a garden quiche, we often add spinach, green onion, green chilies, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, or garlic. Some people add a bit of bacon, ham, or crab.

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into two large round glass pie or quiche pans that have been treated with a non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350-degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour — keep checking for “doneness” with a knife during the last 15 minutes. When it comes out clean, they’re done. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving—enjoy!

Who was the last person you quiched?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Bend but Don’t Break

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

Trees are high on the list of my favorite living creatures. Each day as I traverse back and forth to HolEssence—on bike, on foot, in car—I pass ginormous trees that have lived in this area for hundreds of years. Many of them are in the front yards of what had been the homes of railroad barons in days gone by.

In August we experienced several storms that blew through, stripping off roofs and leveling most everything in its path. Pictured below is a tree I photographed after the storm. It wasn’t yanked up by its roots, rather, it snapped—like a twig—in the gale force winds.

From the outside, the tree had appeared to be healthy. But I suspect it had been ill, as most trees—like people—have an inherent resilience that allows us to recover from things that push the envelope past the cutting edge, to the bleeding edge.

When was the last time you were stretched beyond your limit?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Daylight’s Burnin’!

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

107

This week I celebrate Double Nickels — my 55th birthday.

In reaching this milestone it seems reasonable to suggest that I’ve got more time behind me than I do in front of me. In fact, daily I can hear John Wayne’s voice, “Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let’s go, we’re burning daylight!”

And while the package I reside in has changed considerably over the years, I still feel the same on the inside—bright and sassy!