sentimental

...sipping green tea, listening to a sexy rendition of in a sentimental mood, curled up under a soft brown blanket as cool rain drops make their way to the afternoon of a saturday in my tree house I close my eyes and dream…

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spreadin' the news

I haven’t taught a goddess workshop in over a year, I’m not officially teaching one now though I am working through a series of team building sessions with a group of dynamic women; my decision to dedicate an evening to creating images that represent their true self using collage proved to be quite fruitful for all including me.

Time has passed since I made a collage goddess and what normally happens when I teach is that I too sit down to work when my participants get busy. While recuperating last year, I began to once again collect pictures that appealed to me as I flipped through catalogs or read magazines. I put my collection, a pair of scissors I like, and some special collage glue into a small canvas bag this past Wednesday to take with me for the evening session. I had no idea if anyone, meaning the beings that come to life beneath my fingers, would show up, was quietly delighted as, once I put on some music, specifically female singers singing in Portuguese, my body succumbed to a familiar trance, eyes focused on pieces, fingers guided to cut shapes as if they have been doing it every day and someone spoke up…

“choices” with her two purses and sunglasses emerged easily; a satisfaction that is actually different from what I feel when I edit photos spread through my limbs. When I got home, I continued to work seeing a pregnant belly blowing in the animal print scarf, a protruding behind in the curvature of a gorgeous sculpture rich in turquoise. Before long, “fertile” birthed herself.

Both of the pieces I designed have roots in the discussion that took place on Wednesday evening. I recall talk about the various meanings of the word fertility when one person made reference to the sacredness of the jewel that rests between our legs. So much insight and revelation was born from that exchange. We talked about the right to choose who we share ourselves with, how we come to the paths we walk in life, and much more. Now, as I type, I realize the evolution and names of my collaged paper goddesses are all about the current happenings in my personal life; the papers I pulled once again came together to spread news for me to review from a newfound perspective.

Stay open to what you need to know when you need to know it as you...

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showtime

Walked into the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden between the Hirshhorn and the Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building and felt like I had arrived on a red brick carpet lined with flowers. Hundreds of blossoms ushered me in and continued to greet me as I strolled the entire length of the garden which, at that time, featured tulips as the break out stars…

I did take pictures of many supporting blooms; have to say that the tulips presenting themselves in a dazzling array of shapes, sizes and colors brought out some paparazzi behavior in me! These white ones with the frilly petals (I’ve dubbed them coconut treats) were a first for me and now I’m thinking I should have a dress made that resembles these beauties for next year’s debut.

Get out there before the show is over and…

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birdies

With the flowers come the sound of birds and they are very present in the gardens out on the Mall. During my morning walk, robins especially were everywhere. I was so busy taking in what was left of the Japanese Magnolia blossoms that when I saw Mr. Duck, at first I thought he was a prop for a puppet show being set up in the quiet of the oriental garden; trust me, he was very real sitting atop the water like he owned the place.

My Saturday stroll was just what I needed after a rollercoaster kind of week. I was out for hours, jubilant, taking in the sights that come when the weather signals a change in seasons.

Slowly, the landscape is greening all around so…

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miraculous

I celebrate and fully embrace victories large and small. This past Monday, I laced up my sneakers, threw on a light weight sweater and headed out early to see the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin before starting my work-from-home day.

The victory was not that I got to take hundreds of pictures of the gorgeousness of cheery blooms everywhere, which I soaked in in sight, sound, smell and touch for what seemed like hours. The victory was this -- for the first time in more than two years I took a walk of more than 10,000 steps in one outing, no pain as I moved and no pain later; last spring, I couldn't even make it around the block. I am tearing up just writing the words.

The body is miraculous. Be good to yours and...

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compasses

DC is teeming with tourists and residents milling about the Mall and Tidal Basin areas; it’s cherry blossom time. If one forgets, they can get stuck in the traffic of cars, bikes and pedestrians as they head out to do something other than participate in the festivities, which is how I found myself sitting in front of the National Museum. Beautiful day, way too much going on in my mind, so much happening for friends, sick of rerouting, trying to plow through overdue errands, yada, yada, yada until I looked up.

How many times have I (not) seen the sculpture standing tall in bronze glory, a steady guard at the door greeting those who come? As I waited for yet another light to turn green, I let go of the chatter around and in me to observe this piece that at that point in time was there in solitude, nobody around it, no bodies rushing to get into the museum. It was my moment. I took it and there was the peace needed to re-shift my morning.

In the middle of the madness is a compass if you are mindful to…

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so many pretty!

and seemingly overnight…

new life burst forth all over…

and just like that day when I emerged from a cab into full on snow storm to walk a few blocks with winter, once again I found myself asking the driver to stop the vehicle before it arrived at my destination this time to be with spring. Not a disappointment in sight, so many pretty just everywhere I was giddy. Happy is all I could feel no matter that I was running a temperature again and seriously in need of getting home to bed.

Not much will keep me from taking pictures of flowers, so...

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