Category Archives: California Hiya and a Happy Thursday to y’all. This week has been an action packed one on the Little Bellows Instagram feed. If you haven’t been there in a while, stop on over. Last week, in concert with Friday Favorites, here on the blog, I put out a call for images that evoke ‘mother’, in…  “we left – under the freeway shoulders – under the tough old stars – in the shadow of bluffs i came back to myself. to the real work, to “what is to be done”” – gary snyder simple is not so simple. it never has been for me, with my long held joke about… yes. yes. yes. and big hugs to you. Amy Grace is a rare and beautiful treasure. I feel blessed to be on the same planet as her.  “on the last day of the world,i would want to plant a tree.” – w.s. merwin i have a serious case of the heavies. there are so many ways to say it, to feel it, to give it shape and form, to trace its origins. my mom always said i was so intense, she… So beautifully written. I love reading about your life and seeing these beautiful images that go with it. Happy, happy birthday to you and yours. I can feel your intensity, joy, sadness in everyone of these images. <3 Beautiful. Merwin’s words and yours and the depth of these images remind me that when we have hope we carry the beauty of our best days into the unknown future.  “i put on handcuffs and leg ironsand now i sprint.” – anna swir there are years of my life that still make my hands shake. if i told you in person you would hear my jaw tremble as my teeth click together. if you took my hands you would feel them go cold. it… Oh, Amy. I knew you had a big story the very first time I ever saw an image of yours. Something about it gripped me. I saw the love you had for your little one in that first image, but I saw something more. You are brave to share. I am thankful that your light is shining brightly now in a safe place. You inspire me. Much love, As always, so moving. Every time i read your posts tears well up in my eyes. But it’s a good feeling. Once again, Amy Grace leaves me speechless. You inspire me more than you’ll know — for your candor, your words, your grace. I am so blessed to know you. xoxo thank you. just thank you. I love Amy. The end. Amazing, as always. Thank you. you will never be alone amy. beautiful words. moving story. wonderful life. hugs Amy. We have spoken of this before but to see your words in print leaves me speechless. You are truly amazing to bare your soul and share what might help many other women that have been there and perhaps don’t have the courage to. You are their shinning light. xoxo When truth and light collide. I cannot even imagine a life you just described. What courage, bravery and strength it just took to post this is beyond me. Your healing is your art. It is so refreshing. Noone else can tell or photograph your story like you can. Thank you for sharing it. Let these words and photos be the light for someone who hears your story and has the strength to get out. You are amazing, friend. Amy you are courage. Your healing and your story are a breath of life into my soul. Honestly is such a beautiful thing. WE learn so much from one another when we bare our souls and choose to not hide any longer. thank you amy-for being the brave woman to bare yours… Your candor, insights, and eloquence elevate and heal. So many of us are wounded healers… I knew there was something different about you from the very first image of yours my eyes so luckily were drawn to. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. It’s just remarkable! I would tell you how much I loved this, if I wasn’t so busy trying to see through the tears. Please never stop what you do, I need words like yours in my life. <3 Your courage is spectacular Amy. Anyone who can walk out a door and close it behind them and move on and make their life better deserves to have their story read. Keep telling your story. You will inspire many others. I have shivers down my spine from reading this, like someone is walking directly behind me and blowing Siberian air my way. I think you are amazing. Your words and their story, are fabulous. Your words are stories in themselves, stories about stories about stories, everything wrapped up like an onion. Cutting through the layers you know you are going to cry. xx I only “know” you a short time, but you are amazing and inspiring! So beautiful. Thank you for sharing, you give hope in your words and your beautiful images. xo Amy. You continue to inspire me. Your words and images are raw and powerful. You are soul to be reckoned with. Keep shining your light. my brave beautiful friend. I know what a hard story that was to share. I’m sure there were many tears as you composed this post. I hope that you feel a huge weight off of your shoulders. I’m so proud of you and beyond blessed to call you my friend! xoxo Beauty from ashes… it’s a story many of us have in common and you are a beacon of light for all of us. Thank you, dear friend, for your bravery and honesty and transparency and authenticity… so much to find in one humble soul. You wear it all so very beautifully and I do mean beautifully. xx My heart is happy that you found “the love” you deserve so much. It’s interesting to me that when we come from places that most wouldn’t understand, everything seems more bright and shinny once we have emerged. I’m glad you didn’t give up and that life saw fit to give you this voice. My dear beautiful Amy, how I admire your strength and heart and soul and words. You are an incredible human being and reading about what you’ve been through and seeing the way you choose to heal, always pouring your heart in your amazing art, and being an incredible nurturing mom and wife and making your family a wholesome one. I admire you, you have no idea how much. I wish I could give you a long tight hug right now. I wish you to live a happily ever after life. You deserve laughter and smiles and love, lots and lots of it. Thank you Amy … instinctively, I knew there was real depth to your words and images the very first time I read and saw them. they continued to draw me in. it is sad and beautiful that the pain one endures can ultimately create such beauty. in the end, we should be thankful for that. you are truly blessed and very brave. by sharing your story, you can not help but give strength to others. I wish you unending peace, joy and love. xxoo I feel like I have so much to say to you but I’m not sure how to say it. I can’t even imagine the life you described it feels me with so many emotions. Anger, sadness, disbelief. You truly are such a strong person. Thanks so much for being so open, I feel like i know you on such a deeper level now. Hugs my friend!!!  In a room, a rhyme, a song. In the box, in books: each element An instrument, the body Still straining to parrot The spirit, a being of air. – robert pinsky i make my daughter playlists all the time. but we call them mix tapes. it is what they really are. an act… This rings so true for me, the moment I became a mother was the beginning of an endless journey of hope. I am always, and forever will be, engrossed in them and hoping I’m giving them everything they need to enjoy this life, after all it’s so, so short. Amy Grace I appreciate your beautiful writing so much. You find a way to articulate the nuances of being human and of being a mother. I especially appreciated this blog post as I have a 14 year old daughter. You put words to my own emotions. Thank you. Oh light divine… Oh Amy, your words and photos are beautiful, thank you for sharing. |
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Kristin Phillips - True art. Just stunning.
Sandi - Michelle is one talented lady!
Sophie - Absolutely gorgeous!! Love all of the colors and happiness shining through in these images!