The Things That You Are Looking For Will Find You

Five months have slipped by. A summer of painting new books. A summer of detours around fallen bridges and traffic circles. A fall of harvesting, canning, preserving, creating, sharing. Time has been in short supply and yet so much has been accomplished. Ideas and poems have been written. Work has been submitted.

A new toy has come out. The new PEEK-A WHO OWL manufactured by MerryMakers, Inc is soft, sweet and adorable, and it happened almost magically. There was no searching or seeking- the time was right and the right people were there. OWL is in the world and I hope love will follow. 

The first advanced copy of my new book "Once Upon A Memory" arrived with a sweet card from my editor, Connie Hsu. Prosecco just happened to be in the refrigerator. 

The book that began when I found an eagle feather on the beach is about to take flight. It already has a starred review in Kirkus, and a Winter Indie Next Pick for 2013-2014. This beautiful book launches on December 3rd, which is a very special day for me. Little, Brown & Company picked this date and they had no idea that it was my mom's birthday. She will be there in spirit. We will have a party that night at Secret Garden Bookstore in my Ballard neighborhood in Seattle at 7pm. Everyone is invited. (There is a rumor that the incredible illustrator, Renata Liwska, who made this book so heavenly and heartfelt visually- will be there!) Letting go and letting Renata take the reins has taken my life to a new level.

There has not been time for the long beach walks I love, but beauty has still found me.

Leaf color this year has been off the charts.

As the leaves dance away in the wind, nests are revealed.

We did not have a chance to go foraging this season, but my husband spotted this: the biggest porcini mushroom we have ever found (boletus edulis) in our city neighbor's yard. The cap is thirteen inches across. This monster was too old to harvest but there were "babies" nearby.

Three perfect porcini found me. I had already let go of looking for them and there they were. Lessons have been learned through these past few months: sometimes you have to stop telling yourself that you should keep seeking. Things that you are in alignment with will find you if you can only let go of the need to control. This has been such a blessing and it will be a lesson to keep practicing over and over.

The things that you are looking for will find you. 

You just have to let go, and look around.

Thank you for finding me here.

With Love,

Nina