Wow, it's been a long time

I have an iPad. I am totally smitten. Obviously, yesterday's experiment in blogging from said iPad was a flop. Need to work on that, but there are so many others wonders to be had. Here are some early efforts in the Brush Painting app that is great for whiling away many-stress free hours. I have sprinkled in some scribbling that came from the truly funky place I have been lately.

All of these are my originals, written this month.

Like a monkey with a banana
in each hand, I’m afraid to put
one down so that I can eat the other.
I’ll starve to death with nourishment
in my grasp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My arms are not
nearly long enough
to reach all of
the places I itch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I pray to you to open a new door
for me. But I wonder if you already have
and I’m here trembling on the threshold.




What is that unknown
thing out there on the horizon?
Is it the monster fed to huge
by all of the times
I chose the right thing
instead of the human thing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A monk in a funk
afloat in a boat
has, I’m afraid
been swept out to sea.

He dropped his oars when
the noon bells rang and
the Angeles dropped
him to his devout knees.



If I could I would travel
to that kingdom
far across the Milky Way.
Back in time to the day
God was born. Then I could
watch him, listen and learn
how he came to be so benign,
so mysterious, so very far away.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I see Moses come down from
the mountain with an armful of
heavy stone laws and I’m afraid to
climb up and step into those misty
heights. Afraid I’ll come back
with even more responsibility
and crazy to boot!






This is How the Wind...

This is how the wind whistles
through a four chambered heart,
as if it were no more
than a low desert landscape.
Dreams and desires whipped
into dust devils that put
on quite a show but, in the end,
come to nothing.
Piling up regrets like the
ever shifting dunes. Driving
small bits of memories into
stinging eyes that can only
be relieved with a wash of tears.
Old loves are turned into ripples
that look like a quiet pond stirred
by a gentle breeze but are only
the trails of an unseen hand
drawn mindlessly through the sand.
lm 9/2010




I have been many places and done many things since I last blogged and I had planned to post it all. But, really, life (yours and mine) has gone on. To sum it all up, I'll quote, again, John Denver when he sang, "some days are diamonds, some days are stones." All in all, I'm happy to riding around the sun on this crazy planet.

Claremont has developed, in the midst of much controversy, an addition to the old "Village" which is quite well known in the area. If you are nearby, be sure to visit The Claremont Folk Music Center on the original side. People come from all over the world to visit the place Ben Harper hung out as a kid. It is quite charming and is totally a hands on place. They also have an extensive collection of unusual and antique instruments from all over the globe as well as concerts and open mike nights. Tell them you saw it here!

The new area is in no way an addition to the original, but we have been taking advantage of Friday nights in the common area. There are plenty of places to get a bite, great frozen yogurt and a live band until 9 or so.

My other favorite "i", my phone, is filled with camera apps that I love playing with. Here is a peek at last Friday night. I don't know the woman at the table but the scene was so perfect I have made her part of my collection.






And how about this big old moon???



I'm wishing for you the blessings of constant opportunity for the new.

First post from the iPad

108 in the shade

Yep, that's what is was earlier this week. Thank the gods it's cooling down. Although they tell us more heat is coming. We should be grateful. This little heat wave is really the first of the year. Usually the entire August is Hot Hot Hot.

Because of these

we can run the air with impunity. AND send power back down the grid. These panels provide electricity for all of the buildings on the ranch for an annual bill that is less than our old monthly bill. If you haven't talked to someone about solar, look into it today.

Been doing some experimenting in the polka dot journal

This was inspired by a wonderful video of belly dancers.



And have made myself a new "painting practice journal" from an altered book.



I don't know who she is, but she sure looks like a sour puss!
I will practice face shading until I get it right!!!


These colors and shapes come from the ranch. The tenacity of life
in the midst of moisture sucking heat amazes me.



Tomorrow my daughter and I bring our art home from the Collage Show. Realizing that the things you imagine happen. And they come almost as a surprise. Wishing you all some lovely surprises.

Polka Dotted Journal, the final episode

So, apparently I do not know how to post date posting. Hmmm.
Here are the rest of the pages I'd intended you to see late in the week.
I like to think that someday in the distant future, someone will look at
this page and wonder what Starbucks Coffee was.



If you have never seen the play of the Lion King
go now. Glad to see it coming around again. The quote
on this page seems a thing I really need to remember.



That gospel story of the hemorrhaging woman
has been stuck in my head since I heard it as a little
kid at Mass. There is something very cosmic and
timeless hidden in there.



The lovely lady standing at this window is on
a postcard made by Vanessa of Fanciful Twist
and sent to me by my daughter who knows I love
that blog.

Thanks for looking through my journal.
Now I'm off to look through yours!

A man once told me, "the most powerful force on
the planet is friendship among women."

More of that chunky journal

now turn the page and...



I love that sardine photo. I think it is an ad
for foil wrapped chocolates.



If you click on this I think it will be large
enough for you to read my confession
regarding my mother and more chocolate.



I have been a writer and journal keeper
for far longer than I have been making art,
and I am amazed at the words I am prompted
to write when I look back on a page I "arted"



Wishing you all "coolness" in
the summer heat.

Vacation

The husband and I had a nice long weekend on Catalina Island with our darling grandson, our son, his wife, and his mother-in-law. Great weather, good food and excellent company. Here are some photos taken from the patio of the condo we rented.












We returned just in time for my youngest daughter and me to get our art hung in the gallery for the Collage Show mentioned a few posts ago. Very intimidating and very exciting for me. This is my first. Her's too, but she is sooooooo cool.

Here is a photo of my work hanging



And here is daughter's. All so lovely.



I have been working in this journal


for awhile now and I don't know what the magic is
but I really like how this one feels. It has gotten all
fat and irregular with things sticking out every where.
The pages are all envelopes most of which I left as pockets.
I have filled those pockets with all of the wonderful
ATC's and misc pieces of art I've collected and received
from others over the past few years. You can see through
the windows a glimpse of the goodies tucked inside. This
one is also an experiment in being more of a glue stick
monkey. More pasted images, more markers and pens,
less actual paint.














I'm going to spread my sharing over the next few days.
I don't want to bore you all at once!

My final thought for today