shanna murray

to the brim

Hello there, friends. Happy new week to you!

A busy week around these parts! So much going on. Though not much today, on this quiet Monday. It feels like a quiet Monday to me. Little preparations here and there. Lots of smiles, lots of anticipation.

This week I'll share with you a little preview of something new for the shop this month, there will be a new collaborative calendar for September (with someone I think is pretty terrific), the decal gallery full of snapshots from folks far and wide will go up, and I'm pretty sure I'll finally get to share a little collaboration with you, one that's very dear to me - it's been the light of my summer.

That's a lot. Oh! But I almost forgot to tell you - C comes for a visit this week! I'm over-the-moon-happy! I think there might even be a skip in my step. Two months is a long time to be away from your favorite person. I can't even think of anything else to type, just too full of excitement to think clearly. Time to get back to those preparations, anyway. Hope you have a super day!

'Till tomorrow, friends. xo, S

A happy pause

Last weekend Molly and I picked berries. A visit from a friend was just what I needed. The sun was warm and the berries were terrific, but the company was best. It's pretty perfect that a friend like Molly is just a small journey away from here. She's the kind of friend who's just the right sort of company in times like these. Or any time, really. 

There was some confusion as to what we were picking. You see, we arrived too late. Greysmarsh Farm had just closed! But we were lucky and able to stay because of a kind man who allowed us in after hours. It was great to have the place to ourselves. We talked about so many things, soaked in the sunshine and picked and pondered what exactly we were filling our bowls with. At some points we were certain they were blackberries and at others equally certain they were not. I think they were loganberries. Or maybe blackberries. I sort of like that we weren't ever sure. Whatever they were, they were delicious. 

There's so much I could say about friendship and hard times, laughter and listening, loneliness and relief but none of the words would be adequate. And lately any words at all are difficult to come by. These days there are mostly feelings, feelings of all kinds. The full spectrum of emotion can roll through me in a week, sometimes in a day. Good company is like a pause button on that ebb and flow. A happy pause, and a welcome one. It's not that I mind this welling up of feeling, these difficult days. The loneliness. The bittersweet. It's just that it's hard. Really hard. A reprieve from the pain of growing is important, much needed, and wonderful. So thanks, friend.

We ate the last of the berries not too long ago. I'll walk back to Greysmarsh this week for more and be sure to inquire about them. I just have to remember to go when they're open for once. I'll keep you posted.

xxoo, s

p.s. Thanks to you, dear friends, who sent well wishes and kindness with Molly. You were all in my thoughts that day. And today. xo

pretty great

Words aren't coming easily for me this morning so I'm not sure what to say about this, mostly because I'm still sort of pinching myself, but if you squint just the right way you can see my citrus garland on page 82 of the September issue of Martha Stewart Living! Did I just type that? I can hardly believe it. 

I can say that it's super flattering to see that it's hanging on a chalkboard in the gorgeous loft of former Blueprint editor Rebecca Robertson, now the deputy decorating editor of Martha Stewart Living. I loved the story on her loft back in September of 2008, and even hung a tear sheet of this very room on my inspiration line! Though I've known for a little while that the decal might be on a page somewhere in this issue, it was a delightful surprise to find it here! Pretty great.

Happy Tuesday to you! S

just around the corner

A fieldful of berries for the picking. I had always wondered what was behind the tall trees at the end of the street. The other day my brother and I walked to the road's end, turned the corner and found a scene that made me smile one of those warm and relaxed smiles of relief that feel so great. You know the ones? 

To my delight, row after row of berries of all sorts stretched out before me. Just steps away from my grandfather's front door, and all this time I had no idea.  The only thought I could think of as we walked the dusty paths was thank you. This song played in my head. I needed a spot of my own here. Somewhere to go, to walk, to breathe, to be me by myself - fortunately in the company of some very good berries.

The best time to go is when the berry stand person leaves at 4pm - he leaves the gate open. After 4 it's so quiet there I can hear my feet hit the path.

fall down into the grass

Well, it's August. I have no idea how that happened. I think each day in July must have taken for itself another so that this year July went by in half the time as usual. That's the only explanation I can come up with. It's sort of shocking really, that next month it will be September. 

But it is a happy day! My brother is in town. There has already been a good deal of laughter and plenty of hugs and there will be more of both, for sure. The three of us together feels pretty great.

Something else pretty great: getting to work with Brian on this month's desktop calendar. To me, Brian Ferry consistently takes some of the most inspiring images around. I was so glad he was game for joining me in this month's collaboration, and even more glad when this image arrived in my inbox amongst some other pretty great choices. I knew exactly what I wanted to do the instant I saw it.

This Mary Oliver poem is so dear to me. I have often thought of it on the early morning walks I take while my grandfather is still sleeping. I find it comforting and something like a jolt. The jolt I need to keep my heart open and maybe a little bit tender. A reminder that is welcomed and needed - so that I might not miss all the magic that's happening around me, to me, in the midst of some pretty difficult days. Oliver's poem is a beautiful reminder to me that it's important to see, to pay attention, to be brave - one can miss so much if the walls go up. 

I hope you'll love this month's calendar as much as we do, friends. Oh, and you'll need to click the image twice to get the full size. I'm sure you know what to do after that. 

Happy August, friends. S