rewarding awe

Though I’m not too crazy about insects, there is one that makes me pause and behold; the praying mantis outside of the holistic treatment center was a message meant for me to discover. But let’s back up for a moment…

I pulled into the parking lot of gravel very much in tune with the crunching sound beneath the four tires on my car, swung my feet out the door to step onto the crunch now in touch not only with sound but direct feeling…thank goodness I had on solid soled shoes that absorbed the sharpness of the rock sparing the soul in my feet from a jagged wake up call on a perfectly lazy warm afternoon I noticed a small white butterfly flitting near the purple flower and goody for me I had my camera which I whipped out to capture the tiny creature before she flew away but she stopped me in order to show me more than her pretty wings...how very fortunate yet not fortuitous, I can’t describe the moment that made me remember when I was a child and how in awe I was on the rare occasions when a praying mantis would show herself to me and how curious I thought it was then and now though somehow I knew not to harm her but I will admit that I captured one in a jar once…later, after I stared at it for who knows how long, I let her go and today I paused to really watch the slow deliberate motions, noticed a face carved with wisdom which made me shake my head in seriously dumbstruck awe as she continued on with her doings I felt she knew I was there admiring…it felt as if she had willed me to discover her presence that was now the reward…had I been in a split second of a hurry I would not have noticed her in all her camouflaged glory and missed what she wanted me to tell me…

The praying mantis is a symbol of patience and stillness; she only makes a move when she is 100% sure it is the right move. When one appears it is time to get quiet, go within, get centered and before the next move is made, all should be copasetic.

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moments

time is precious
love is breathless.
life is about

black magic moments...

feel beautiful.

life is a collection of experiences.

trust your instincts

let your hair down

live the moment.

I’ve been challenging myself to a creative writing game in my journal. I flip through a magazine, clip words or phrases that speak to me, then place them on the page. I move them around linking one to another until they reveal other messages that become part of a collage made with pictures that curiously seem to relate to what’s written with the glued strips of paper. I love this mental exercise. Not only is it fun but relaxing and just the right amount of light lifting that my brain needs to keep it in shape.

it’s lovely at the top…

keep climbing.

And as you do…

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in the pause...

...when the days are dark and uncertain remember that the sun will come out if not tomorrow, eventually...so if you’re waiting for brighter times, be still in the pause and…

keep your peepers open!®

week in review

As my birthday week off draws to a close, I am pleased to note that it has been beyond splendid as well as productive and uplifting. So much laughter and time shared with friends provided a spirited foundation for a lifestyle change; the past seven days was not just about celebration but restoration as I embarked on a wellness adventure. At first, I struggled with understanding the difference between alkaline and acidic foods and once I got somewhat of a handle on that, educating myself on what alkaline foods are also arthritis friendly. Yes, I’ve been diagnosed and decided to take action while it’s just a mild diagnosis; a change in what we eat can make a difference in the progression of something that affects millions.

Somewhere in the midst of the week, I turned to creativity or maybe it called out to me. Art has played a huge part in healing for me in my past and once again has helped me ease into managing an illness. I decided to begin keeping a journal again, something I abandoned once I got into writing the blog. As much as I enjoy blogging, nothing beats the tactile experience of writing with different color markers, scribbled drawings, pasting in pictures, painting with watercolors and making torn paper collages on a whim; the act of tearing provides a release of that well-buried mild anxious anger that comes with how did I let this happen.

For the first time, I actually decorated the front of my journal and did so with abandon yet meaning.

I also enlarged photographs of fruits and vegetables, cut them into pieces, reassembled them on top of an x-ray of my bones then put the picture into a frame, upon reflection knowing that what I was telling myself is that surrounding the challenge with healthy beauty is my way to wellness. That those words I found in a magazine, BE COLORFUL, were both an affirmation that the bright work I was producing in rapid succession for my eyes only was exactly what I needed as well as a reminder for what I should select to nourish the body, bones and joints.  

Taking photographs of pretty arrangements of food and understanding that it’s one step at a time, hence the bacon on the plate is quite helpful; there is something psychological about showing the mind pleasant visual images as a means to shift thinking and behavior.

But not all of my creative energy was channeled into dealing with health issues hence my sudden desire to make mini torn paper collages out of the bags my birthday gifts came in and send the picture as part of a thank you note.

And then there was my trip to the museum, which produced my own interpretation of some of the work I viewed…

…and a view of the museum.

It really has been a full birthday week which will now turn into my birthday month, days that I know will be filled with creative exploration in more ways than one. So as I lift a glass in celebration of health, wellness, and healing expression, I know for sure there is more to come...

keep your peepers open!®

LMAO

...lots of birthday fun last evening…LaughedMAO so now I'm sleepin’ it off as I continue my week long celebration so until Sunday…

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queen every day

…a few birthday eve thoughts that somehow wrap together, I just can’t seem to tie them with a neat bow because it’s too early in the morning...it would please the queen if you would indulge her for this one…

Birthday 2010, I was walking in the footsteps of kings and queens that may have been part of my ancestry as my friends and I toured Egypt; birthday 2011, I received my very own crown and dubbed the Queen of Hearts during an early birthday celebration. It never matters when, where, or how my special day is marked. What matters is that I’m here to rejoice in some unique way with others as well as by myself relaxing, reflecting, pampering and/or making merry.

One of my nicknames is Queenie, a term of endearment used several years back by my close female friends; one of my male friends has referred to me as Queen since we met. I’m honored because two definitions of the word queen are, in part 1) a greatly admired woman who stands out and 2) a place or thing considered the best of its kind. The Queen is also the most powerful chess piece something I did not know but have now stored to play when needed.

Those who know me well know that my birthday is major. They also understand that sometimes the simplest things are the most meaningful. I love my red paper crown with its sparkling faux jewels, artful design and heart-shaped cutouts created just for me with me in mind. It was indeed a most thoughtful gesture, as the person who made it knows I collect hearts and that I recently took a photograph of roses that when turned upside down revealed the queen of hearts, my favorite playing card followed by the king of spades. True confession -- when I was a little girl and to this day, they are a couple and whenever I play solitaire if at all possible she always rests on him.

So on this October 3rd I will be reminded that though my king has not yet arrived, I am still the queen each and every day…I have the crown to prove it. Happy Birthday all!

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not down w FB

I swore I would never join Facebook or FB as I now know. My sister convinced me to do so immediately as a way to garner votes for my portfolio of photographs that I have entered into Art Takes Miami 2011. I certainly don’t claim to be an electronic guru but my goodness, navigating FB requires a manual! The time it takes to set up your page, find friends, post a message…it took me much longer to do all that than it took to send an email to my established address book that brought in more votes than my newly developed means of networking. Honestly, I've never had any interest in socializing via FB nor do I care to read streams of conversation that have no meaning to me. Sure, it’s a nice way to find people but only if you want to find them or them to find you but I’m not that hard to locate, just Google me. Perhaps I'll maintain a business page for exposure (which is what I thought I was setting up only to make one wrong entry and wella, a social page appeared, very confusing!). On another note, entering my photos into the Miami competition was quite easy to do but I realize it probably is a means to recruit artists to utilize a paid online service where we can show our work. Right now it’s free; I’ll decide in the very near future if I should become a subscriber or just go ahead and set up a new web site to showcase and sell my photographs. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, my friends and family have gotten excited about the whole voting thing, me too! It has been fun. Even if I don’t win the $2500 people’s choice award, I’ve already won…I caught up with some folks I haven’t been in contact with for quite some time, have some new admirers AND yippee...buyers! If you care to vote, click on http://tscott.see.me/atm2011, do so daily until 10/14/11, and…

keep your peepers open!®