Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Bye Bye Summer. It's been fun!

Wow, the days fly. We have had wonderful house guests, continue to meet the people in our new community, find meaningful ways to contribute, cruised the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, participated in a week long poetry workshop in the mountains and more.

Now, I am working on pulling poems together for a book. I have an angel who wants badly to see this work in print. He is always supportive, encouraging, appreciative and pushy! The best part of this is, he's The Husband. Believe me, I know how very lucky I am.

Compiling a book is harder than I ever imagined.  I swing wildly from being proud and excited to hating everything I have ever written. I hear old voices in my head asking, just who do you think you are, missy? A lovely poetess in one of my sessions in the mountains probably gave me the best advice. She insisted that I just need to get some poems between two covers and printed. If she told me once she told me 20 times to JUST DO IT. So that's the frame of mind I am in today. I'm just gonna do it!

Here's one that speaks to it's own creation.



The little one at the bottom right is about another thingie. So many thingies I have. So many poems about all my thingies. Maybe that should be the title of the book, Thingies.

Sketchbook Madness from the River Cruise

Of course the old church is NOT listing nor is it sitting ON TOP of the bushes. Otherwise, it looks exactly like it! Yeah…I am happy with the sky.


Still a work in progress. Years ago, I sketched every day and was amazed how much I improved. Then I stopped and was amazed how quickly it all turned to worms! I'm back to a sketch a day. Obviously still have ground to regain. I have also discovered that I love water colors. I used to be strictly acrylics. 

Here is the cover for a small art book I am working on. The paper will be hand painted then about 16 of my small poems will be hand printed on to the pages. I have finally figured out how I will bind it. My original plan, lets just say, fell apart. I am all excited about this. It successfully keeps me from working on the other book! Don't tell The Husband. 



Here are some new cards


A day at the beach is still high on my list of things to be grateful for. I was reminded how generous the randomness of life is when this gull flew right into my view finder just as I hit the shutter.

And the days end in peace and beauty. I just have to remember to LOOK!


As Whitman said, Do I repeat myself? Very well then, I repeat myself. 

Here's what I'm thinking: Our dreams come true while we are preoccupied with the ordinary bits of life.  So, always keep those dreams playing in the background. Like elevator music. One day you will hear that crashing crescendo! 


(People have sent this to me several times on Facebook. I hope I'm OK publishing here.)





Friday, March 7, 2014

Long time no see!

I have missed blogging! But I am fired up and ready to make this part of my routine again. I have been Facebooking but realized that many of my blog followers are not Facebookers and I don't want to lose touch with these kindred souls. So, if you gave up on me, please come back!

The past few months have been full and a bit challenging. My mother's dementia quickly took her away from us and after weeks of emergency rooms, skilled nursing (I use the term loosely), and relocation to a wonderful board and care, she passed, peacefully in her sleep, on Feb. 2.

A beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. May she rest in peace.

   


Some of you will remember her from this previous post!


                           


We are in the midst of serious drought here so this was a welcome site. I love rainy days. Even discovered there is a name for people who do.  Pluviophile.
I think it's because I grew up in Cleveland. Too much sunshine makes me edgy.





Then there was a wonderful mystery. This rug showed up at my doorstep. A friend said she was sending me a little present, so I assumed it was from her. I have to admit, when I opened it I was a bit surprised. No one ever sent me a rug before! But it wasn't from her. I didn't order it. The package was addressed to me from the distributer. Inquiries went no where. It looks great here in my art room. So, I'm grateful for unexpected gifts. Maybe my Mom sent it...


I have been complaining how much I miss the wildlife at the ranch. I got this amazing bird house last Mother's Day and I finally have birds coming to eat and chat! We even put out a little fountain we won at a charity auction for drinking and bathing. Life is good if you have birds at your door!  If you would like one of these very cool structures leave a comment and I'll put you in touch with the couple who makes them.
Still trying to get my little pals to sit still for a photo!



I have been writing and painting and sketching in my art journals. Those books are a great place to get your stuff worked out. Here is some of the art.





One of these days you will see the poetry. The husband, along with several others who so kindly encourage my writing, have finally convinced me to put together a book. It's more work than I imagined. Stay tuned.

After several intense months of pain and pleasure, here's what I'm thinking: