have a merry, have mercy

have a merry, 

be merry, 

make merry, 

have mercy 

in this season

 of blessed love. ©tsl

Whether or not and regardless of what holiday you may or may not celebrate, I wish you and yours peace, good health, and much love.

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #happyholidays #havemercy

red glove drama

Losing gloves and umbrellas is such a nuisance! I can’t begin to recall how many of either I've lost in my lifetime!

While out for a walk this past week, I stopped to take a photograph. As I walked away from the subject matter, something urged me to turnaround; about 300 yards from me I spotted a red glove and yes it had to be mine since I now only had one in my hand. I retraced my steps to retrieve what could have become yet another lost article and when I looked down, I had to snap a picture; my red glove lay on the ground with such dramatic flair in the way that it fell, as if absent fingers were curled over in a "clutch the pearls I can't believe this is happening" position. Really? 

Dropped and found, I bent over to pick up my glove leaving all that drama behind as I went on my way.

Listen to that small voice whispering to you as you move about and…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #redglovedrama #drama #gloves #winter #photographer #photograph #photography #lostandfound #keepyourpeepersopen

seasonal warmth

feeling tranquil this morning as I bask in seasonal warmth, a cup of tea at beside, candles lighting the room, stillness surrounding me…not much to say except may your day be magical and…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #tranquility #stillness #mindfulness #winter #seasons #photograph #photographer #magical #gardenia #keepyourpeepersopen

lady bugs & lottery tickets

One morning last week, I noticed a ladybug perched on the outdoor intercom panel. As I leaned in for a closer look and spoke to her, she flew onto my forehead! A ladybug kiss is a blessed occurrence; I put my finger out to let her crawl onto it before she went on her merry way. 

Later, I looked up from my laptop to admire the yellowing tree leaves beyond my balcony. Suddenly, a bright streak of red flew across my gaze; I sensed it was a ladybug and got up to affirm my suspicion. There crawling on the bricks was another little lady different in coloring from the one I’d seen earlier. I watched her moving around in the sun until she turned the corner disappearing from sight.

The next day, I was walking home from doing a volunteer shift for the Thanksgiving annual feast of sharing. I suddenly found myself thinking about ladybugs and when I looked up, I had wandered into a store to purchase lottery tickets. Ladybugs are a symbol of good fortune after all, maybe the two that visited me the day before would bring me some. Indeed they did! I happily cashed in my Powerball ticket the next morning collecting $4.00; regardless of the size of the prize, I was (and am) a winner each and every day in more ways than one. You are too, so...

keep your peepers open! 

ps…Ladybugs also symbolize living life without boundaries. As a highly creative person, I subscribe to that line of thinking which in part may have prompted me to create my own picture rather than selecting one of my photographs to post. Using watercolor pens is so non-restrictive for me. I experienced as much delight in making each stroke of color not quite knowing if it would bleed into the paper or other colors as I felt when the real thing landed on my face.

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #ladybug #lottery #gratitude

thanks

Woke up with no idea what I wanted to write about. A word popped into my head one second before I opened a reading for today with that same word as the title for its message.  

It’s a few days before Thanksgiving and this year I will volunteer at a huge event held here in DC that provides a meal, clothing, and gifts to those in need. While I won’t be sitting down to feast with family or friends, I will be feeding my soul and spirit doing something I have chosen to do instead; I will be giving thanks as I serve others. 

Gratitude, the word that came to mind this morning and revealed itself on paper, is what I feel more than ever, every day this year, so be grateful this holiday season. GIVE to a charity of your choice in dollars or time even if you too are in need and…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #thanksgiving #gratitude

catching time

It’s a good probability that we’ve all spoken or at least heard the words, “time flies,” and indeed it does! Let me add to that thought, “it’s up to us to catch as many moments as we can” so…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #mindfulness #photography #sunshine #timeflies #quoteme #quote #keepyourpeepersopen

radiance

I went on an art crawl and wine tasting yesterday in Middleburg, VA. Totally enjoyed a sun up to sun down day; woke up this morning with my deep “had a few too many glasses” voice that cracks me up as soon as I speak! 

One of the more memorable moments yesterday was the viewing of posters that told a brief history of Black horsemen in racing, a story that needs to be heard as horse racing originated as a pastime during slavery. The first Kentucky Derby was held in 1875; 13 of the 15 horses were ridden by Black jockeys who would go onto to win half of the first 16 Derbies. Enter Jim Crow in the late 1890’s, ushering in the ousting of Black men from a profession that they not only helped build, they also had dominated.

A second moment, one much more personal to me, was when the bus turned into a property that I’d visited before. It was next to Boxwood Estate Winery, a destination I had not noticed back in 2014 when I was relearning how to take one steady step at at time after hip surgery. I chose to do my last days of recuperating coupled with a birthday celebration at the Salamander Resort and Spa. One afternoon, I decided to get in the car and just drive; a wide vista of countryside stretching out in front of me made me pull over to take photographs, breathe, and appreciate the fact that upon my arrival at the Salamander, I left in the car the cane that had been giving me support and was once again walking, carefully, by myself! 

Yesterday, I stood on that land again, the sun shining on my face, shivering in the cold air, grateful for the ability to move about on two strong legs that propel me forward every day in this my life. As always when out and about, I had my camera. Of all the images captured, this one is my favorite so here’s to shining light, triumph in life, and radiant energy as you…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #blackjockeys #artcrawl #winetasting #recuperating #radiance #light #mindfulness  #boxwoodestate #salamanderresort  #millenniumartssalon #keepyourpeepersopen

etsy finally!

For some reason, I can't post a picture...go figure. So I'll just say, after lots of thinking then procrastinating, I finally did it!

Come shop my new shop artfullyTSL on Etsy and...

keep your peepers open!

birthday love

On the first Sunday of this month, I woke up in a suite with windows that gave me a 180 view of a body of water, in the bathroom was a soaking tub (I dream of waking up in my own bedroom that provides a view of a beautiful body of water then walking to my bathroom with a claw footed tub to soak until my skin shrivels up like a raisin). In the adjoining rooms next to the living room of the suite, some of my closest friends slept as I reflected on several days of birthday love. Those four, along with several others who know my dreams, gifts and passions gave me the luxury of staying in the suite along with so many other surprises that I lost count of the happy tears that came to my eyes as friends who had flown, drove or took the train arrived in varying intervals to join in three days of festivities. I was amazed that so many women had managed to keep so many secrets from me; they had been planning for months under the direction of my BFF. I was deeply touched and giddy!

This Sunday morning as I sit in reflection of birthdays past, this past one is at the top of the list of Best Birthdays Ever. I am most fortunate to have a group of women, both friends and my sisters, who love me enough to ensure that I started my own personal New Year feeling loved, cared about, and special. I thank them.

So cheers to enduring friendships and more birthdays to come, not just mine…theirs too!

keep your peepers open!

ps...what happened in the suite and the many other places we went stays with us, so the best I can do is share a picture of cake and ice cream 😉

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #birthday #dreams #celebrate

heARTbalms™

heARTbalms™ is a highly interactive workshop that fuses the creation of art with mindfulness practices to explore how we relate to each other and foster constructive, healthy exchanges between participants about unconscious bias. Discussions prompted by the creative and mindful processes will also open up the dialog to address the topics of diversity, inclusion, and coexistence. No prior experience with the arts or mindfulness is needed. Come with an open heart…your mind will follow.*

And as always…

keep your peepers open!

*ps…workshop is designed for students, adults, corporations…contact me via email tina@tinascottlassiter.com for more information, use heARTbalms in the subject line, and please share with others who would be interested.

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #collageart #collage #heartart #diversity #inclusion #unconsciousbias #coexistence #heARTbalms #workshop #mindfulness #keepyourpeepersopen

dreamin' like 44

dreaming, doing, on the go so…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #change #tinascottlassiter #keepyourpeepersopen #dream #dreaminglike44 #liveyourdreams #barackobama #lenawaithe

change

change moves you forward… 

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #change #tinascottlassiter #keepyourpeepersopen

memories

Sadly, this past week someone I love dearly passed away. While looking through my photographs to find one of a woman who was like a Mother to me, I came across a small book that I made when I got back from my trip to Morocco several years ago. In it was a lively watercolor that I splashed together as I sat poolside in Quarzazate; its bright colors took me back, lifted my spirits. As I paged through my little creation then sifted through more pictures, though I was grieving, the memories captured of so many wonderful moments from my past gave me comfort.

I will miss you Sara… 

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #watercolor #memories # morocco #othermothers

ten years!

It’s the 10th birthday of my blog!!! 

For a decade, I have shown up to my keyboard to grieve, ponder over personal and professional issues, give gentle advice, share recipes and music, get poetic, showcase my latest art, celebrate, guide tours via photographs, dip my toes in political issues, and as I felt from the beginning, post whatever is “on my mind at the moment”. To my surprise, the content found on the eclectic eye allowed me to publish my first book, provided material for another, and has moved me forward on my life’s path in ways I never could have imagined since that first post on September 2, 2009.

Though I initially began the eclectic eye to reach out to the public, writing it became a form of discipline for me around year two and continues to serve as a reminder that over time with tenacity and desire, I can do whatever I set out to accomplish, beginning anew as often as necessary before everything settles into focus. So as I celebrate a decade of eclectic thoughts and images, for the 858th time I leave you with my signature sign off…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #decade #celebration 

august

thank goodness for a break from the oppressive heat…appreciating a cool august morning…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #summer #august #sunrise

to do or not to do

there will be nothing to do if we perish from too many 

to do's without breaks to do nothing - tsl 

A little doing nothing refreshes the soul, spirit, mind, body and heart so every so often, chill all the way out, tune all the way into you, and as always...

keep your peepers open!

ps - snapped this photograph with my iPhone at the Botanic Gardens on a morning walk back in 2009…came across it recently…it was one of the pictures that made me want to get a better camera, slow myself down, and start seeing the world through a different lens.

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #summer #botanicgardens #bench #takeaseat #takeabreak #chillout #todo #keepyourpeepersopen #mindfulness

thought of

I love heart shaped objects, flowers, and floral photographs. A good forever friend sent me this shot of a hydrangea via text; it popped up early one morning and immediately set the mood for my day. 

I try to remember the little things that are of interest to the people in my life be they friends, family, or associates, dropping an article, event info, picture, or inspirational thought when something happens my way. When someone does that for me, it arouses a happy gratitude inside that brings on a joyful smile…thank you EC. 

It's nice to feel that folks are thinking about you, even better when they let you know so take a moment to reach out and as you do... 

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #summer #flowers #hydrangea #friends #hearts #keepyourpeepersopen

thoughts from the 'gram

…saw this from @refinery29 on my Instagram feed and thought it was worth sharing, so dream, laugh, love and… 

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger#wordsofwisdom #dream #laugh #love #keepyourpeepersopen #refinery29 #instagram

daily words of wisdom

I may have posted this before however, there have been so many recent moments when my personal daily words of wisdom, written a year or so ago, have guided my tongue that I decided to share them once again… 

When negative or challenging things, annoying people or circumstances arise, I accept them as part of life and give them no energy, no elevation in emotion. I speak not in anger or frustration rather, smile, breathe, then go on with the day or if necessary, take the appropriate well thought out action, give an unexpected response grounded in poised intelligent positivity. I remember to be grateful for whatever is happening or the opportunity or the person working my nerves no matter how crazy the situation because what’s happening in the moment is not forever... and isn’t that the most wonderful thing! 

Maintaining my cool when dealing with folks who I need not waste precious energy on is an art. Sometimes I succeed and then there are those instances when my cool heats up before I can get it in control. What is it that they say…practice makes perfect? 

Always a work in progress, so…

keep your peepers open!

photo of mural taken at The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards mall, NYC

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #wordsofwisdom #workinprogess #staycool #keepyourpeepersopen

grieving possibility

I received a phone call this past week; the intention was to catch up however when I asked “how are you doing?” I heard the hesitant catch in her voice, the sudden carefulness as she spoke. When I quietly said, “you can tell me whatever it is,” I caught the sob that brought me back to moments that I know oh too well.

Hearing that the someone who she knew was “the one” had passed away opened a place in my heart that holds memories of the person who showed me how being loved, being in love is supposed to feel, reminded me that every now and again, I feel a sadness for the possibility of what could have been if he was still alive. After listening, I shared what I know is grieving the possibility, what it means, how to manage it, does it ever go away. That talking about what we thought was going to happen, how we planned for that life is okay for awhile; eventually we must let possibilites give way to the reality of the lovely memories we're left with, let go of the what if’s, for they will never be, and hold onto the gift this person gave us. That gift is the understanding in our heart, mind, and soul of what real love feels like, the kind that reaches way down into you and changes your life forever.

Never settle, so...

keep your peepers open!

ps...it's okay to experience grieving the possibilities when they arise, we just cannot allow the thoughts to consume and keep us from enjoying a beautiful relationship with someone else or living life period.

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #grief #grieving #keepyourpeepersopen

floating

During my morning meditation and prayer, I found myself thanking my higher powers for keeping me on my feet rather than floating over several days when I had abandoned everything -- my morning walks, my promise to not eat sweets, fried food and take-out, my plan to redesign my website. In that moment of contemplating standing vs floating, I told myself that being erect was stronger than being on my back; in the next moment I saw myself floating in a body of water, actually felt the movement of being gently rocked. As I embraced the buoyancy of floating, I felt comfortably supported; the float easy, reassuring, and non-judgmental.

When I finally opened my eyes to journal this experience, I made notes about the metaphoric use of the words treading water, sinking, or drowning to describe those days when it feels like we’re out of sync with “the plan” and are going under. My quiet time revealed that during these moments, our spirit is in need of a boost; strength is regained if we allow ourselves to go with the flow rather than struggle against it even when the moments turn into days. 

So here’s how I translated what passed through my soul that morning…Floating is a metaphor for an interruption in the plan where we move across an energy shift in order to “walk out of the water” with a fresh perspective. I’ll leave you to ponder the thought and hope you will…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #water #floating #metaphors #inthemoment #keepyourpeepersopen

the high life

Earlier this month, I went to NYC specifically to see artist Simone Leigh’s “Brick House” on the High Line. Rising 16 feet tall and overlooking 10th Avenue at 30th Street, this bronze depiction of a Black woman is majestic with her Afro, cornrows with cowrie shells, and dome shaped skirt; had no idea she and the special place where she stands was not yet ready for the public to get up close, to stand beneath her towering presence. I had not come all the way from DC to be denied so along with my fearless gal pals, we ventured into the unlocked zone, walked a path that led to, then had a chance to behold Brick House! We quickly snapped pictures until a very polite gentleman appeared to inform us that we shouldn’t be there; giddily left after he took several group shots of us in front of this grand sculpture. 

Bravo Simone Leigh for creating Brick House who will gaze down the avenue until September 2020! She is worth a view, was well worth the trip. I know I will go back to visit her and the High Line again so… 

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #summer #thehighline #brickhouse #NYC #girltrip #thehighlife #keepyourpeepersopen

sun flower summers

Make the most of each day 

wherever you may be, 

be the sun in the sky 

or shower clouds above, 

be a breeze in the air 

or sizzling heat all around, 

be the day one of work 

or vacation time for you, 

make the most of each day 'cause 

it’s summertime...whoo hoo! 

Wishing all a sunflower summer and, as always…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #outdoorphotography #summer #flowers #sunflower #sunflowersummer #morning #sun #yellow #keepyourpeepersopen

a day for fathers

Celebrating fathers, soon to be fathers, other fathers, and fathers who are watching over from above on this Father’s Day Sunday and every day.

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #fathersday #happyfathersday #keepyourpeepersopen

season of the wrists

With spring and summer comes a shedding of layers as we change into light weight clothing with shorter sleeves and open necks. For me, this also signals more opportunities to wear bracelets that don’t work well with long sleeves and sweaters that cover my wrists as I try to keep warm during the colder months. 

I love the sound of charms jingling against each other, the smoothness of a thick horn cuff hovering just above my hand. However, what I relish most is piling on multiple bangles, mixing metals with silk, lucite, or horn; seeing colors both bright and muted together as they adorn me and compliment whatever I’m wearing. This year, I’m creating some all new pairings as I capture them with my camera and cheer this season of the wrists, so…

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #bangles #bracelets #jewelry #seasonofthewrist #keepyourpeepersopen

peepers

keep your peepers open!

#sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #eyeglasses #glasses #peepers #keepyourpeepersopen #icanseeclearly

moms day

Celebrating mothers, soon to be mothers, other mothers, and mothers who are watching over from above this Mother's Day and every day.

keep your peepers open!

#mothersday #happymothersday  #momsday #celebration #sunday #sacredsunday #blogpost #blogging #blogger #photographer #photography #photograph #dogwood #florals #blossoms