in clover: re-vision

I can't see.  

I have contracted a stubborn virus that has temporarily injured my eyes and significantly impaired my vision.   I cannot wear the contact lenses that I have worn nearly every day of my life since ninth grade.  My distance vision with glasses is ok but not great...kind of like opening your eyes under water...but I can't see a thing up close with my glasses on, so to read or use the computer I must remove the , which means everything else is a blur.  Needless to say, the idea of vision has been the focus of my contemplative life lately.

Many of the old things I sell are at their "vintage chic-est" when re-purposed for something other than their intended use....a cast iron gutter hopper as a wall sconce....a rusty wire basket as a moss lined planter....an enamel farm bucket as a wine bucket for a party...galvanized wash tub as raised garden bed...old iron grate as art...all re-purposed or RE-Visioned.  It's fun to re-vision vintage items.  LOTS of fun! 

Spending quite a few hours in the dark, reflecting, I am even more mindful that just like the old things that I always seem to find their way to me, I can re-vision the everyday happenings of my life, recognizing them as the important spiritual learnings I believe they are.  I can look for the Sacred in the ordinary,  moments of my life...even the uncomfortable ones.  Or maybe that should be, especially the uncomfortable ones.   I've tried to stay open to Spirit.   I've asked myself what this dis-ease has to teach me?  Is there something I don't want to see?  Is there something I need to see?  I don't have any answers yet but I will keep sitting with it.

Meanwhile, since I haven't gone out into the light of day much at all, I've been busy re-visioning the things that have been languishing in my basement since I closed my shop. It's nice and dark in the basement!  :)

One of the items I listed on ebay this week is a vintage french fishing creel.   I wanted to include some inspiring photos in my listing so I tried to come up with creative ways to use the creel.  First, I photographed it in the garden....

Then I tried it in the breakfast nook with some faux lavender...

And then I tried it in my ever so tiny downstairs half bath.  I filled it with vintage looking dishtowels.  My towels are not vintage but are precious, as they were embroidered by Michael's mom and grandmother.  I think I liked the basket best here.

And speaking of re-visioning...when you are a cottage dweller, as we are, you need to make the most of every inch of space.  Michael and I both enjoy photography but wall space for displaying our efforts is limited, so we turned a wall in this tiny half bath into our version of an art gallery...

The squarish basket in the corner is an English fishing basket....much different style than the French one and I believe would not be referred to as a proper "creel."  The French basket is designed to be slung around the body.  The square English basket also has a carrying strap but it is designed to be a little stool for sitting, while you fish.  Charming.   I tucked this smallish one in the corner to hold spare tp rolls. 

So that's what I've been doing lately....sitting in the dark...my temporary loss of sight led me to a space just perfect for re-visioning.  The movement of Spirit never ceases to amaze me.

peace and all good, 

Lisa