A Hidden Cove

A marriage of water, of fire and of earth. A celebration of the self-acceptance and joy for life that she's worked so hard to embody. An image of power and ease. This is how Carrie described the session she wanted. She's a woman who is deeply tied to the earth, foraging mushrooms and knowing forests by heart. She's also a creative, who turns trash into treasure, using sea glass to create incredible talismans. I knew of a tucked-away cove that I wanted to take her to, and she was just adventurous enough to agree.

The sight of sage brush, ceanothus and fiery oak greeted us as we made our way down the steep, dilapidated path. The sun warmed our skin, tempering the brisk wind that was building. I felt relieved that the usual late-spring fog didn't seem to be planning to visit us that day. After a careful climb up and over boulders and cliffs, our feet landed on the rocks that encircle this cove.

After we got settled, I sang an invocation to the stones, to the water, to the wind, asking them to co-create with us today, to let them know that we came with respect and with love. We left a few offerings, and then Carrie donned the crown that we created together, and bravely stepped into the chilly Pacific waters. We had hoped to use my small cauldron for a fire, but alas, the wind had other plans, and neither of us were careless enough to force things. We had a blast playing together, and the orange shine of the fabric contrasting with the sun shining on the blue waters was beautiful. I saw many faces of stone people in the rocks around us, and if you look closely, I'm sure you'll see a few yourself.

Carrie also wrote an incredible poem after our time together, which she allowed me to share here:

"Toposa of Place

The ocean, summoned,

breaks over granite,

a tide pool filling around her waist

like a skirt lifted.

Glittering sunlight elevates her statue

as she remains unmoved,

arms lifting like a female embodiment of Jesus,

the landscape draped over her shoulders

flowing elegance just under the surface,

nipples strong as temples,

hands perfectly positioned to gift the

world with ecstatic blooms.

Light and shadow dance exquisitely

across every ridge, canyon, mountain.

Perfecting erosion over nape and mane,

the four elements erase the errors of man,

sculpting her presence into here and

stone only,

forgiveness, forgetting

into the forgotten goddess

Toposa of Place.

Lover to Chronos of Time,

they create here and now

while biting playfully at one another

as fire flashes in cauldrons,

as air whispers in a language only they speak,

as water pulses between their tense bodies,

as earth palms their love."

To see Carrie's creative work, you can go to Nautilus & Sway.