Kindle the candle of intellect in your heart and hasten with it to the world of brightness.

Nasir-i Khusraw

Good Monday, gentle reader. How are you? I am snazzy-jazzy and a wee bit tired. A good tired though, the ilk that occurs when one has mightily been heaved out of a rut and seen the glory of possibility, not unlike this shot of the sky at sunrise. This very same sky, which, on the 11th of October, held views of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, AND the Moon, all at once! I sighed and gawped in incredulity and made numerous blurry photos because, damn, if I was too lazy to get out the tripod. BUT, if you look VERY closely, what may appear to be a speck of dust in the darker regions of the photo is actually Venus, in the final gleams of her morning glory. I tip my hat to you, miraculous Universe, every single day.

And more hat tips, of a more earthly variety, to friends, neighbors, and strangers, worthy of a shout and holler and your consideration to their proffered services and wares. In no particular order:

Block Island Organics – I mentioned my fondness for their fantastic sunscreen earlier in the year. Well, they are branching out and sent me a full size sample of their Purifying Facial Cleanser.  I’ve been using it for the past month and could not be more pleased. It’s got a gentle foaming action that freshens without drying my skin. Another win! If you’d like to try it, or any of their products, actually, use the code colleens through October 25th to receive 20% off. Yippee!

Wild Card – My favorite local shop for cards and gifts: t-shirts, jewelry, all things Pittsburgh, local art, paper, every happy bit of the random and sundry.

The Dreaming Well – Ever had a weird dream that you cannot shake, but also cannot, for the life of you, divine any meaning? Maybe it was a good dream, though it might have been a nightmare, or just a puzzler. I often find myself in bland shopping malls with a lot of ramps. Weird, I know. Anyway, if you are curious about deciphering the language of your dreams, my friend Travis can help. He’s been thoughtfully exploring the dream world for more than twenty years and is very empathetic and incredibly insightful, offering group and private sessions, and helping me and others get to the bottom (pun intended!) of those ramps.

Erstwhile Mercantile – Make everything chalkboard with these multi-purpose decals!

Little Truths Studio – One of my dear Portland friends has opened a shop offering lovely watercolor cards and prints, a bit of fun and the unexpected, too.

Maren Jensen – My darlin’ Maren makes thought provoking zines and posters to keep a mind a whirling…

Good L’Oven – Giant cookie love right here in Bellevue. A hop, skip, and a jump from our house to deliciousness of all stripes. Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Dee, the kindly wizard baker and owner also sells a plethora of locally made goods: soaps, honey, cleansers, nuts, cheeses, and more. We love this place!

Camamu – I’ve been using my friend Lori’s soap for more than a decade now, and it never disappoints. She and her talented team make every kind: soothe your hands, your scalp, your pooch, even the bum of a newborn babe. My latest favorite is the Fisherman Anise, sooo good! Portlanders can buy it at her lovely shop in Sellwood, at Powell’s and New Seasons, too. I did a big happy dance when I found it at the Cranberry TJ Maxx, but EVERYONE can buy it at the online shop. It’s worth every penny!