The Soulistry Blog

My name is UNFI. I'm not pretty. I'm not adorable. And I'm not finished.Far from it. I am 'unfinished.' UNFI for short. But I am "becoming" finished. So are you, dear reader ... none of us has yet 'arrived' ... none of us is 'finished' - yet In a way, we are all UNFI....

In today’s intense world where alternative facts masquerade as truthful statements; Executive Orders bring confusion and fear; outrage is commonplace; inner peace is quickly disappearing; concerns and fears about compromised health, terrorism, disasters, broken...

It's been said that some things in life can't be recovered: a stone ... after it's thrown; a word ... after it is said; an occasion ... after it's missed; dessert ... after it's been eaten; the time ... after it's gone; a person ... after they die. Life is short...

I don't understand religious intolerance. I don't understand non-religious intolerance.  If people are kind, compassionate and respectful to animals, the earth, the sky, the waters, other people, themselves, what harm is there if they choose to believe in a God, but...

I’ve just returned from an art workshop with artist Madeleine Durham where I had lots of fun making Modern Paste Papers following Madeleine's oh-so-creative technique using some remarkable Japanese papers.  It looked so easy!   But, it wasn’t.    Even though I had...

She was a child who loved to create!  Colours in her paintings, unusual shapes in her designs, squiggles on paper that became flowers and patterns and who-knows-what in her young imaginative mind, brought her great delight and satisfaction. But when her teacher didn’t...

A bedtime story ... about a Frog Hat.  It's a true story and I thought it would be fun to share it 'cause there is so much happening in the world that seems to be robbing people of fun-moments.  So - on to the story. Every spring, my husband Hans and I would go to an...

a drive down a road not travelled a chair by the river called and spoke come sit rest gaze ponder exhale write sketch feel believe inhale peace "be"   blessed chair blessed trees blessed river blessed peace blessed moment oh that we could all come  sit  rest somewhere...

Dandelions.  They are here; they are there; they are everywhere.  And they offer a delightful opportunity for reflection about life.  Their bright yellow dandelion flowers pop out of tall green grass.  Often regarded as unwanted additions to lawns and gardens, two...

Thoughts of ... travel ... grief ... discovery ... float through my head as I deal with jetlag and begin to sort through photos I took while on my trip to the Netherlands visiting with my late husband's Dutch siblings / nieces / nephews. My camera ... captured images...

On this day, April 26th, many years ago, I received my very-favourite-ever-present ... the safe delivery of a much-prayed-about, hoped-for, oh-so-wanted baby.   Doctors told my husband and I that I could never conceive ... surprise!. Then they told us that I wouldn't...

There's something about Nature that continues to remind me of the miracles around us if All-Who-Dwell-Here have eyes to see ... like this tree. When I first walked in front of it, I kept on walking.  But then I turned back. I wanted to see if what I thought I saw, I...

This is a true story - about a penny ... a magic penny! And it's a story about love ... magical love.  It all began one Sunday, as I was about to teach a song to children in a local church.  Before the service, I put some pennies in my change purse to use as a visual...

I want a "plain day."  I'd love to have a day without drama - without W.H. tweets - without "breaking news" appearing on the tv screen - without hearing of another murder or earthquake or massacre or tornado or diagnosis of cancer or Parkinson's or Lou Gehrig's or...

Political claustrophobia is surging, bringing fear and a growing sense of disbelief, helplessness, inevitability, even hopelessness for some.  It's time. It's time to breathe possibilities - possibilities that no matter how bleak and impossible it may seem now, "this...

Ahhhh, love ... I love fresh fruit, lemon-anything, Greek food, cooked chocolate pudding, the smell of coffee.  I love freedom, justice, flowers, the sound of rain on a tin roof, animals.  I love learning and dialogue and travel and writing and being creative and...

Where has the year gone? It's hard to believe that it was a year ago today that the little "Nourish Gently: The Soulistry Cookbook" e-book was published. In the past year, emails, cards and letters from families, individuals, family physicians, pediatricians and...

Hello, unexpected image. You arrived without planning, unexpectedly.You arrived as I doodled and played with pen and cardstock.  Playing can be such fun!  It can be a reminder  that we never know how life will turn out  be that bepre-COVID19 ... during COVID19 ......

What will happen in 2018? 

   Babies will be born. 
Couples will be married. 
Sorrow will be present.  
Joy will surround. 
People will wonder and ponder and question. Children will play. 
Animals will roam and feed. Pets will love. Plants will grow. 
Minds will...

Thinking about last night’s election results reminded me of the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could.” The little train engine was at the bottom of a big hill and doubted it could climb to the top. But as it kept repeating the words “I think I can.  I think...