A gift this week from Mother Earth... Huitlacohe, Corn Smut, fungus Ustilago maydis... has enchanted our garden corn.  Huitlacoche first caught my eye many moons ago when a friend who recently moved to South America shared of this rare find in their new garden. She mentioned the delicacy and rarity of this anomaly. I remember seeing the photo and thinking, she is so brave, I would not eat that!

Fast forward several months to now, during my garden walk. Imagine my surprise, when I see this very same anomaly growing amongst the corn! It feels in my heart like a blessing and a gift. So, being a curious human, I begin several google searches to learn more about this new to me being. I remember a teaching from my acupuncturist regarding plants that show up in your garden and how they are often volunteers to heal you. The ancient Aztecs also believed in the mystical effects of this spore.

The call on my heart to cook this being up with much gratitude and appreciation won over my fear of something new... and rather black...  it was DELISH!!

Sometimes we are blessed with an opportunity, a home, a responsibility... here is a piece of ours... This sweet home holds many stories and so much Magic! As time has gone on it has become clear that this sweet barn needs some help, the kind of help only a willing human can bring. These walls speak of times long before ours on this land. These walls also need a lot of support. There have been times the job assisting this barn has felt overwhelming. There have been times we have just wanted to ignore the ever growing need for attention. The funny thing about that path is, well... what needs attention can not be ignored for long. 

We struggled to find viable solutions from online vendors and box stores... THEN we remembered! The Latina's Welding Guild!! While at RUCKUS Makerspace I was able to take a course with this guild and see the ripe talent of these women. So, we drew up some plans and the guild made it happen!

I continue to be amazed at what the Indianapolis Community has to offer. Every problem has a solution backed by a human following their passion. I don't know about you, but it makes my heart soar to see a person living out their passion and making a difference in their community. Read more about Consuelo's dream here:

When my head is full or my patience is wearing out... I seek the Water. Mni Wiconi, truly our Earth life's blood, brings me back to my heart. Sometimes I even remember to go before I need it. Sometimes I find connection with the life force of water in the bath tub of my own home. What a gift! I hope I have passed this centering tool on to our son. Today we adventured to Cataract Falls.

On this venture I noticed how my body had trouble staying balanced as we crossed the river. My son even came and offered his hand. This warmed my heart and this also told me about how out of center I had allowed myself to get. Also, I really didn't wear the right shoes! On this adventure day we remembered how to laugh and find bugs and ask questions. I am grateful for these moments in life.

My brain... it likes to makes connections, it sees connections everywhere and in most things. This is a beautiful way to see wholistic solutions AND also a way to get lost in assumptions. Aren't our brains beautiful in the multiple ways we are wired differently??? In my dental studies this photo of the throat just wowed the part of me that has studied the chakras... just a little nod to the little connections everywhere: