Non-Sucky Yoga Month

I (heart) Havi Brooks (and her duck Selma) and am a recently new fan of her work, especially her stuff on Dance of Shiva (which is something I've been doing for almost a month now and will post about some other time).

Havi's got a great promotion going on for the next couple of weeks, "Non-Sucky Yoga Month". Included in her "package thing" is Paul Grilley's Yin Yoga DVD and some awesome stuff from Havi to get you started and to get the most out of the DVD.

If you're looking for something new to kick up your yoga practice, or you're looking for something to get you started with yoga without a lot of "woo woo foo foo" stuff, check this offer out. It might just be what you are looking for.

And if not, check out Havi's blog anyway - good stuff there! * o

Non-Sucky Yoga Month

I Follow Barefoot - Hafiz

I Follow Barefoot

I long for You so much
I follow barefoot Your frozen tracks

That are high in the mountains
That I know are years old.

I long for You so much
I have even begun to travel
Where I have never been before.

Hafiz, there is no one in this world
Who is not looking for God.

Everyone is trudging along
With as much dignity, courage
And style

As they possibly
Can.

~ Hafiz ~ * o

I Follow Barefoot - Hafiz

This Could be a Really, Funky Mellow Post...

...because I just got back from yoga class and have had a hot, salty, lavender infused bath and I should be like all blissed out and in the zone, but mostly I'm fried and hoping I can post something that makes sense.

I'm feeling guilty because I'm kind of in a blog slump. A giant blog slump. I haven't been posting much lately. Not sure if it's because I'm too busy or just can't figure out what, if anything, to post. Mostly, I think it's just too many choices. When I have a spare moment that doesn't involve working for a living I have all these options. I can read, I can work on my courses (an art course, and a spirituality course - don't ask me why I had to take on two at the same time), I can journal, I can exercise, I can do some art.....etc, etc. The problem with choice overwhelm is that you end up choosing nothing.

I'm trying to be gentle with myself. I'm trying to take care of myself and not do overload. I really don't want to wind up the winter in the same state of exhaustion I was in last spring. It's all about balance right? Ya, most days it's balance, shmalance - right out the window. But I keep trying at it, and keep trying to mindful of what I choose to take on, and what I need to let go of. It's a process.

There are two nice things that happened to me today, that I needed to share.

One, I've been blessed today by a sprinkling of comments throughout my blog from a wonderful woman who is taking the same spirituality course as I am. She's taken the time to read my posts from the beginning, which made me realize I've been blogging for three years. Going back through some of those old posts has been a bit like finding an old journal - lots of things I had forgotten about. Thanks, S, for making my day brighter today!

Two, I had some really good comments from my art instructor about my last two assignments. Specifically, she mentioned that I should continue with pastels after the course is over because she thinks I have a "good feel for it". Cool.

If you have any suggestions for how to do balance, and not overload, I'd love to hear them.

image - Island, Jessie Lake, pastels, August 2008 * o

This Could be a Really, Funky Mellow Post...

Kelly Rae's New Book

"My journey into artmaking happened mainly because I was inspired by the spirits and creativity of other artists. Without their ever knowing it, they inspired me to simply begin. To search for my own creative voice. To collage. To paint. To play." - Kelly Rae Roberts, "Taking Flight"

When Kelly Rae's book arrived Monday, and I flipped it open to the page with that above quote, I knew I was going to love this book. Because I could have written those words myself. Because artists like Kelly Rae continue to give, teach and inspire. "Taking Flight" is simply a beautiful book. Sumptious art, tender writing, well-laid out pages of instruction for projects you can do yourself. I dare you to read it and not be inspired to do something!

Go, buy one now - you owe it to your creative self! * o

Kelly Rae's New Book

She Dreams of Trees

Part Three in the Artist's Healing Journey

That night, she dreamt of trees. In the first dream, she was very angry. A beautiful tree was being hacked to pieces by an evil woman. She screamed at the woman over and over to stop and go away. The evil woman stood beside the tree, axe in hand, and gave her a jeering sneer of a smile. She yelled over and over to the woman to go away, while the woman just stood there. In the second dream, she awoke to look out her window and she saw a beautiful, healthy tree that rose up to the sky. Strong and tall and full of red berries. In the third and final dream, she was in a lovely, peaceful grotto. The grass was green and lush, and the grotto was surrounded by trees all ablaze in various autumn colors - oranges, yellow, reds and even some dark evergreens. She felt so content here - like she never wanted to leave. She awoke with that same peaceful feeling. She didn't know yet what these three dreams meant but she was sure she would figure that out on her journey.

(image - "She Dreams of Trees" - acryclics, watercolors and pastels - copyright 2008) * o

She Dreams of Trees

A Cup of Summer

Can I interest you in a cup of summer?

A few of our cherry tomatoes are finally starting to ripen although I doubt we will get many before the first fall frost hits.

There is nothing like the smell and taste of fresh tomatoes! * o

A Cup of Summer

A Different Migration

MIGRATION
(By Harriet Brown)

All fall you watched the geese fly south,
a soundless movie through the bedroom glass,
their long plain marvelous wings beating,
warm-blooded, creaturely, willing themselves
into their own features. Days after you stopped
speaking, you eyes stayed on that gray sky.
When there was nothing left to hope for,
still the last light in you lifted as they passed.

And now, of course, the geese
are coming back, flying in slow twos
and threes, in sure unbroken lines across
the spring bleached sky as if they know
for certain something that we don't.
I wonder if, wherever you are, you know it too.

The seasons are marked by the honking of geese in the sky. They are marked by other things too. A packed vehicle, an empty room, a quieter house. They return, but each return is different - and every leaving another step on the journey. * o

A Different Migration

Quick and Easy Grunge

Easy Grunge Page

1) Start to clean off desk
2) Glue bits of notes, receipts, envelopes, post-its onto journal page - whatever is laying around on top of desk - cover page completely
3) Color background with watercolor crayons or ink pads
4) Decorate with Sharpies and watercolor crayons to your heart's content * o

Quick and Easy Grunge

Butterfly Woman - The Journey Continues

(you can read Part One of this journey here)

On a cool moonlit night in the garden, Luna Moth Fairy again appeared to Butterfly Woman. "It is time for you to leave this garden and set out on a journey - a journey of healing and adventure to discover yourself and your soul's true desires. It will be difficult, it will be scary and at time you will be quite lost. You will be traveling the Shadowlands of Your Soul. But at the end of the journey will be a great reward. You will have a helper along the way. Fox has decided to accompany you. She will not interfere but she will provide advice and wisdom as needed. She is quick and cunning. Not everyone you meet along the way will help you or can be trusted. You may need to rely on Fox's ability to discern. Now my child, pack up your things, take only what you need, and in the morning leave this garden." Then Butterfly Woman was left alone. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she caught a glimpse of Fox but she wasn't quite sure. She tucked her leather book she had received from Luna into her bag, along with a journal, a change of clothes, some food and a gold, heart-shaped locket. Then she sat down to pray and settle in for some sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day.

(image - collage with beeswax - @ 2008) * o

Butterfly Woman - The Journey Continues

What I could use today....

....some serious nappage......

Some days I just wish I was my cat. * o

What I could use today....

Girl's Night Out

Yesterday I had to travel to the city for an eye appointment and my "BFF" came along with me. She agreed to be my eyes after the appointment for the couple of hours it takes for my pupils to go back to normal after those hideous drops that dilate them. I ended up looking pretty funny after the drops too - one eye didn't get as much as the other, and so one pupil was waaayyy dilated! We browsed a couple of stores, laughing at how stoned I looked, had supper and went to see "Mamma Mia" on the big screen. The movie rocks! ABBA music, a Greek Island, great choreography, a cute and funny story and Pierce Brosnan - so who could ask for more? (OK, so Pierce can't really sing that great, but damn he looks good anyway) And if you don't like ABBA, then you'd probably not like this movie. I wore out my ABBA eight track when I was teen (if that sentence doesn't date me at all). Best part? Meryl Streep totally nails "The Winner Takes It All" - wow.

We laughed, we cried, we had a blast and we both wondered why we don't do these girlfriend outings more often. Sometimes, we just have to kick ourselves in the butt, and drag us out of our routines!

(.....you can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life, see that girl, watch that scene....dig in the Dancing Queen!) * o

Girl's Night Out

Oh, those summer nights

We've been enjoying some fairly nice weather this August, the best night being last weekend. The temps were warm, the skies clear and the moon full. The perfect summer night. Made even better by the addition of a dozen or so of some of the the most awesome teens/young adults I know who hung out around our fire for a bit.

Oh summer nights......soon to be fall. I'm keenly aware of the passing of time and summer coming to a close. One more week and College Boy will be heading back to school. The days even now are starting to get shorter.

If I had seen the meteor shower a couple of weeks ago, I would have wished on the shooting stars for a longer summer. It seemed so long in coming and so quickly flown by. But nature knows these things are not to be. The seasons must change, the wheel must turn.

Do I sound a bit blue? Ya, I always hate the end of summer. * o

Oh, those summer nights

A Sort of Artsy Weekend

Not the best photo of it, but finally finished my first assemblage type piece this weekend. This one took me a while to do, from the time I salvaged the old weathered board until when I decided just what I was going to do with it. There's rusty things, and feathers, and mosaic tiles and polymer clay in this piece and generally I'm pleased with way it came together in the end.

The August long weekend has been fabulous weather wise, and I'm really glad I've had some down time and some play time to enjoy it. Would like some more play time, but with company in the house it's hard to manage that.

I've seen two bears, a doe with two fawns, and the cutest little not too shy bunny rabbit over the course of the weekend so you could say I've been enjoying some time communing with nature as well.

Tomorrow it's back to work and back to the routine. These are the summer days when you wish you had a time machine, just to stretch things out for a little while. * o

A Sort of Artsy Weekend

This Summer shall be known as....

"The Summer of the Skunk"....or..."One Skunky Summer". Yup, the dog got nailed again. Worse than the first time requiring three baths so far and several days of trying to get "that smell" out of the house. Seems our dog is a slow learner and has not yet learned to compute the equation - Black and White Striped Kitty Like Animal = Very, Very Bad Smell. Cats are just so much smarter.

On a Funnier Note

File this one under "Stupid Things People Say". Recently we acquired the lot next door, after our neighbour of twenty years tore down his old house and sold the property to us. He's moved on to bigger and better things, and while we miss him as a neighbour, we are definitely happy for him regarding the wonderful happenings in his life. And so our yard has gotten bigger, and John has been busy building a fence and putting in grass seed and now he has a lot more grass to cut. This being a small town, the usual rumor mill has been working full shifts with people speculating on just what will be done with "that property". Today I overheard the funniest conversation yet. I'm standing at my open livingroom window when I hear this couple outside the yard on the sidewalk.

Her: "Must be nice to just suddenly acquire a whole 'nother yard, eh?"

Him: "Ya, like they just took it right over." Pause. "Maybe they paid for it."

Ya think?????

Quick, somebody call the police. Apparently I'm a yard thief. * o

This Summer shall be known as....

Hands

"I am fire and if you have doubts about that, bring your hands forth." - Rumi





(watercolor, ink and pastels)

* o

Hands

And the Universe laughs...

So, remember yesterday's post? The "something wonderful will happen today"? Remember how I said that I knew that even with the wonderfuls would come the awfuls? You know, life is full of goods and bads?

And so the Universe laughed and tonight - my dog just got nailed by a skunk. Right outside the open livingroom window. Yes folks, we are smothered in Eau de Pepe LePew right now. And said dog, a lab, is ironically afraid of water. Bathing him to get rid of the smell was a job and a half for College Boy. The dog will be sleeping in the porch tonight.

I think I still hear the Universe chuckling......something wonderful this way smells.... :) * o

And the Universe laughs...

Something Wonderful

Last week I started an experiment. It came about from something I read (and don't ask me where I read it because I can't remember if it was in a book, a magazine or on someone's blog - I read too much and remember too little). Anyway, the gist of what I read was that when you wake up in the morning start your day off thinking something wonderful is going to happen today, instead of thinking about all the ick things you have to do that you don't want to do. Then be open to receive whatever wonderful thing comes your way. So, I thought I'd give it a shot. I start the morning off saying to myself "something wonderful is going to happen today." Amazing what a shift in perception that gives you.

You see, for every day that I have said that, something wonderful has happened. Now, these are not big miraculous happenings. And most of them would have occurred whether I said, "something wonderful is going to happen today" or not. (I'm pretty sure my husband was going to give me flowers for our anniversary anyway, and that package in the mail was going to arrive one day....) Nor am I so superstitious as to believe that if I don't say "something wonderful is going to happen today" all sorts of weird and awful things will happen. Life is full of good and bad moments and I'm pretty sure there are going to be bad days. Nope, the shift has come in my attitude to those "something wonderfuls". By opening myself to the possibility of receiving them, I become AWARE of them. They pop into my day, and I think "hello, something wonderful" and I'm happy. It's all in what you dwell on isn't it? Good moments or bad moments? Something wonderfuls or something awfuls? I'm kind of liking this experiment, this opening up to the little, good things that make up my life.

Join me? Something wonderful is going to happen today.......I guarantee it.

* o

Something Wonderful

Mandala

Been fooling around with pastels today and created this mandala on black cardstock paper. The colors are a little bit brighter than how they show up in this scan.

Last night we lit a fire in the pit and I threw an Altoids tin in it to experiment with altering it. Turned out good, now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with it. Lately, I have so many projects I want to try out but when I get into the shed to create, I can't decide what to start on! Then there's this whole energy problem I've been having - too drained during the week to do anything but get myself to work and that's it. I guess if I try to look on the bright side it would be that I'll never have a shortage of "creative projects" to work on!

So much art out there......so little time :) * o

Mandala

Happy Anniversary!

23 years.....two kids...a cat and dog...a home...numerous ups and downs...friends and family that have come and gone...we're still here - here's to the best part of my life! * o

Happy Anniversary!

I spent my birthday....

yesterday at this gorgeous place, with my "bestest" friend. We were attending a watercolor workshop, taught by Biljana Baker a local artist. It was a gorgeous day as you can tell by the photos and so much fun. Learned lots I didn't know about how to use watercolors, some brush techniques, and using masking fluid to create a resist. Biljana is an amazing artist with a wonderful warm personality - you could tell she was enjoying herself. I really love when someone who is teaching you is also passionate about what they are doing. That enthusiasm just overflows to the students! Add a gorgeous location with tons of atmosphere, and overall it was a pretty good day. Later that night we relaxed around the fire pit at my place with friends and family. Everyone surprised me this year with artsy presents - brushes, markers, stamps, a mosaic stepping stone kit, a heron sculpture.....I was totally spoiled. High School Boy, home for the weekend, made the birthday cake which was yummy! And there was plenty of sunshine, something so desperately needed around here.

(photos - Quebec Lodge where the workshop was held, the awesome view from the lodge, Lynn and me) * o

I spent my birthday....