Funky Mama

It's that time of year again -- the time of year that makes me contemplate getting out the hemp and beaded necklace, ankle bracelets, and toe rings. That's right. Summer weather usually calls out the funky, hippy side of me. It has been creeping up on me in the past few weeks, but last night the funky mood got a huge shove with the help of a friend.

Dawn owns a modest home with a bazillion dollar view that overlooks the Nechako River. Last night I dropped by with a couple of my boys who are friends with her son, and we sat on a lawn swing in the setting sun and watched fish leap in the river below as our boys did a bit of fishing.

Dawn is one of my favorite people. She has assisted me as I brought the last four of my children into the world at home, and though she has had to become a bit more medically oriented in her practice, she still is the sort of midwife like you find between the covers of Spiritual Midwifery

Dawn was showing me her latest project, which is a book of daily affirmations that pregnant women can tear out to contemplate either during their pregnancy or as something to focus on while they are in labor. I sat there twiddling a piece of hair around a finger as I read and Dawn, who has about a half dozen strands of beaded hair on one side of her head, finally asked me if I would like one too.

I squinted at her for a moment. Crystal, pearled, emerald green, and gold beads shimmered on the side of her head. Before I finished saying contemplatively "I think so," Dawn had lept from her chair, grabbed her box of beads and pulled out some strands that she had made up already. I chose one of alternating pearl and crystal beads and now I have a single strand of them adorning my hair, just in front of one ear.

My Birkenstocks are at hand. Now all I need is some batiked Indian muslim dresses or skirts and I am all set for the summer.