| December 31, 2009Blue Moon There will be a Blue Moon tonight - the second full moon in December. 2010 is on its way...ready? 
December 30, 2009Time  I feel as though I want to get an entry in before 2009 closes. Like you, I feel some pressure to respond to the New Year with enthusiasm and renewal, but I do need to be realistic also. This is the prime time for reflection, this turning of the calendar page, this big celebration where we say good bye to the old year and welcome the new one. I love the symbolism here and I love the starkness and potential that the pristine calendar sheet conceals. It gives power and hope as I continue to renew myself and continue to try to build a better person out of me. I have all the customary wishes for the new year, organize my house, lose weight, exercise more, learn yoga, etc, but then I have some other things that may not show up on a list or in a magazine. I want to be more active in 2010. I want to let go of some constraints. I have already begun; I have let go of the idea that my physical world, i.e. my house, has to be in photo ready order, ever. I let that go a while back. I cannot explain how freeing that was. I actually posted an entry referring to it earlier this year. This perspective has given me freedom and has released me from an obligation that I did not need. I actually love the candidness and the looseness of my house now. It is so healing to dismiss the concern that things have to be in order to be enjoyed and it is so liberating to know that anyone can just drop in anytime and I am so good with that. I love this place I have risen to and am so regretful that I was ever not here – what a waste of time and energy. Another intangible I want to work on in the New Year is to be more accepting and less responsible for choices people I love make. This is a big one when you have been mom for 28 years and have had to manage a child’s entire life from the bare essentials like food, to where they go on weekends. All of a sudden, it seems, you need to let it go. Difficult. This is something I will have to consciously work on in the New Year; I have to redefine my role and get comfortable with it, I mean, love it. Again, this will be a source of freedom and liberation for me, and more importantly, liberation for my children. I seem to be rebuilding my universe and it is becoming quaint and small. I love that. I love that I don’t require as much. I don’t need all of my husband’s attention, it is okay that he is not hanging on every word I say or noticing everything I do, I do not do things for attention, I do things because they need doing or because I want to do them. I have already established the fact that I don’t need to prepare my house for visitors, but to add to that, I don’t have to worry about if new paint gets marred or if the cabinet door doesn’t close just right – those things have become celebrated character marks instead of an entry on the perpetual “things to do list”.. It is also okay if I don’t cook supper occasionally. We have all developed into healthy adults and can find something on our own to eat. Very liberating stuff. I will have to work hard letting go, but I need to do it for the benefit of all, including myself. Something else that is changing is my focus on friendships, especially those that have withstood the test of time. I have, like you, sorted out, eliminated, and, kept those that are real, and have, by now, let those that are not, dissolve. Time is finite.
I will end this rambling with a quote my son, William, shared with me over the holiday. It is something his former coach, Nick Saban, said and I do not have the exactness to actually quote, but it was something about “time” – we can either spend it or invest it. Happy New Year, p.s. 
December 24, 2009something beautiful from a friend "The Christmas spirt is everywhere, and all we have to do is look around us. It is always here. My friends and family have been an incredible gift of love and support through all stages of my life; the good, the bad, and the 'worser'. I realize how little we really need, and for most of us, Christmas is all year long every day in that we have God who cares about and loves us, family, friends, food, shelter, and clothing. And then there are those blessings that God has given us that we take for granted; the fact that most of us can do for ourselves, that we can see, hear, walk, eat, drink, and speak...we are tremendously blessed everyday. I hope you all enjoy your Christmas remembering all the blessings we have and how different our direction of thinking would be if we were suddenly denied some of those 'simplest' of things. 'Live, laugh, and love'; keep it simple and uncluttered and God will take care of the rest. Merry Christmas! " Keith and Lonette aren't these words awesome??? 
merry christmas, p.s. December 23, 2009Christmas Checklist ü Tree decorated
ü Stockings hung
ü Nativity set up
ü Presents wrappedü Advent calendar filled
ü Camellias picked
ü Cookies baked
ü Fudge madeü Cards mailed Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect. Oren Arnold
merry christmas,
p.s.
December 18, 2009 attitude I was decorating my tree and I had to stop to tell you something. I decided to put a few of my older ornaments on the tree this year, the ones commemorating the birth of each child, the first day of school, macaroni ornaments the twins made in kindergarten, and a 1979 ornament that prompted this entry. 1979 is the year I was married. I didn’t really have much of a plan about traditions and first Christmases and all of that sentiment, but I did have an idea I wanted to collect ornaments that would become some sort of timeline of my married life. In 1979, there was not as much “stuff” and I had to hunt down a commemorative ornament. I finally found something but there was not a date on it. I brought it somewhere – no memory here – and some nice person free styled an engraving that said”1979”. I was sooo disappointed at how homemade and quaint this very special ornament looked amongst the collection of brand new adornments. Through the years I was always a bit disenchanted at the homemadeness of this tree trimmer and it ended up in a box of misfit ornaments. Tonight, 30 Christmases later, I have rediscovered the box and the ornament. You guessed it; it is perhaps my most cherished ornament now. The thing I love the most about it is the thing I was most disenchanted with, the free hand “1979”. It is who we were then, a young couple feeling their way through early marriage. I suppose attitude really is everything. This little ornament has made me realize just how much I have grown and how much wisdom life has given me. The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Charles R. Swindoll 
till next time, p.s. December 13, 2009 "Honey" There was a simple sign nailed on a tree that only said “Honey” and another down the road that said “Cabbage”. Some farmer long ago must have quickly painted them with left over paint and hastily nailed it to the tree on the corners of his property. It was a way to make a bit of money out here in the country. The signs are now gone, along with the farm house and a way of life that said country. It seems, once again, the city has reached out its greedy arms and gathered it up. It has taken all that was built here, a bucolic life of sustainability and nurturing and caring for the land and for the natural world. It was a life that began in the very early morning when the sun was just climbing over the horizon, before the rooster crowed and before the morning sounds were heard. The world was quiet just before dawn when the animals were fed and the dew still hung on the garden, before the birds sang and before the busy day began. There was a sort of peace then, a time when Nature was at its purest and man could feel close to the earth and appreciate all that it provided. Instead, we now have communities that all seem the same; lines of chain stores and acres of concrete slabs to park on to go into these stores that feed our gluttony and excess. Now there are early morning noises coming from the nearby imposing interstate, loud with the sounds of big trucks bringing heaps of stuff to people in towns across our country, objects they probably don’t need and will soon tire of and put out with the trash. Soon, we will not have a path into the woods that nourishes our sense of past and provides our connection with Nature. We will no longer have brown eyed cows right outside of town to stare back at us when we take Sunday afternoon drives into the country. The country lanes will be replaced with the muck corridors made by all terrain vehicles and the birdsongs will not be heard for the thunderous blare of these engines that entertain. I think there exists a paradox in our modern society; people move to the “country” and soon, the country disappears or as a friend of mine said, “they bring the city with them.” And so I ask, do we really need all of this “stuff”? A long while ago, I posted Anne Leonard’s “The Story of Stuff” on the right column of this blog page (it is still there if you care to watch it). Here is a summary of the video: http://storyofstuff.com/pdfs/annie_leonard_facts.pdf 
December 7, 2009 making do I started thinking of the concept of “making do” and realizing not many people were left that would utter such an antiquated phrase, but yet I grew up hearing it and witnessing its implementation. My mother was the best at doing this. She grew up having to “make do” but she later challenged herself to do it when it was no longer a question of economics, it was just a revelation of her character. I remember a little lesson she slipped into my life one day. It was nearly Christmas and she was in the spirit of things and was decorating her house. She had pulled some boxes (cardboard not Rubbermaid) from the attic and rummaged through drawers and closets and went into the woods and magically, the house was decorated. She had not made one trip to town, not for bulbs, or lights, or the latest Christmas trend. Instead, she challenged herself to “make do”. She shared that with me on that day. Anyone can decorate a room, trim a tree, cook a meal, etc. if they spend enough money, but how many of us have the creativity and resourcefulness to do it with what is only on hand? She said it was something she did intentionally; she tried to prepare a meal, decorate for the holidays, dress, whatever by only using what she had. It gave her satisfaction and made her feel as though something was created, not purchased and money was saved not spent. I do not remember any of my mother’s purchases or shopping habits, but I do remember her character and her creativity and her ability to “make do”. I will remember this during this season of spending and over consumption and try to stay closer to the earth and further from the mall. I will fill my house with pine branches and magnolia leaves, force narcissus bulbs, and I will go into the attic and take down boxes of ornaments. I can imagine cinnamon simmering on the stove, Christmas cookies in the oven, citrus from my trees and hot chocolate with cocoa and Christmas cups. This Christmas I will “make do. till next time, p.s. 
December 1. 2009 imagine 
Winter is coming, coming in with Christmas. Even here in the Deep South we can feel wisps of colder air bickering with the Gulf Stream. I love winter, just as I love all of the seasons, but I am not in much of a hurry for the winter solace; autumn is so vibrant and stirring this year, I love that it lingers. Tonight is cloudy here in south Louisiana and I cannot see the waxing Gibbous moon. The Full Cold Moon will be on December 2 and on December 31 there will be a Full Blue Moon – an extra full moon that occurs every 2 – 3 years, “once in a blue moon”. I have chosen the 7th as the day to put up my tree. I hope it will be cold and I will listen to old Christmas songs from Bing Crosby and once again, string lights and hang glass ornaments. My tree will be a fresh tree; I feel they are better for the environmentJ. I have potted narcissus bulbs for forcing and have not been to the mall!! Thusfar, that is my frame of reference with the upcoming season. 
I am rereading a book, Discovering the Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Ruth Stafford Peale. I am going to painstakingly type a section for you to read and, hopefully, be inspired by. I say “painstakingly” because I do not really type – I only peck, but I really want to share this with you. Hold your image. Hold the image of what you want to be physically, mentally, and spiritually, and what you want to be in business, in love, in life itself. Hold that picture or image tenaciously in your conscious mind until, by a process of intellectual osmosis, it sinks into the unconscious mind. And when it does, you will have it, because it will have had you – all of you. Be specific. There is an amazing power in the strongly held and directed image to effect desirable change in yourself and in your life. To accomplish such change and improvement, the image must be specific and exact even as to detail and timing. The realizable wish, a strong factor in psychology, will respond as desired to the degree to which the desire is specified, then held without deviation and believed in completely. Have a goal, not a fuzzy goal, but one that is sharply defined. Hold it in consciousness until presently, the subconscious takes it over. As Dr. Smiley Blanton, the eminent psychiatrist, said, “God presides in the subconscious.”That is where the power of personality lies, and it has incredible strength to produce what the convinced person wills. Then pray about your imaged goal to be sure it is a right objective, for if it is not right, it is wrong, and nothing that is wrong ever turns out right. Visualize your wish as happening. Know what you really want: Visualize it not as something you hope or vaguely wish to happen, but something you believe as now happening; now actually being, in essence. For spiritual help, read, “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done by my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18: 19). I hope this little passage inspires you. Till next time, p.s. 
November 22, 2009 november 
I hate to see November leave. It is such a comfy cushion, a barrier of sorts, to the holiday madness that December brings. Thanksgiving was my mother’s favorite holiday and as a child, I could never understand how that could be – a holiday without “stuff” – how could that be her favorite? Well, I know now. I know the sweetness of November, a time of family, food, fallen leaves, pecans, persimmons, oranges, and giving thanks. I hate to say good bye. I, organically, love December and Christmas; I just hate what it is being forced to become.  part of my medicine cabinet 
175 strawberry plants 
fresh eggs 
more eggs till next time, p.s. 
November 7, 2009 "things" that matter  It seems I have not written in a while. I don’t really know why I have “been away”. Perhaps it is the seemingly shortened day that has me out of sync. Everyday I try to do art. It is my Prozac and this blog, this journal, is essential to my effort. The big news here is fall. This season is energizing for me. I most always have too much ambition and too many ideas. The one thing that I have come to terms with, however and has given me more time and more realistic goals is the state of this house. I have lowered the bar tremendously over the years. The order and condition of the house does not dictate whether or not I am happy in it. Slowly, through the years I have put it in its rightful place. It is a place to come to at the end of the day, it is a place where the kitchen is always in a state of being and the lamp in the dining room is always on, it is a place where sometimes you must move books and newspapers aside to sit and it is where the buzz of the washing machine is a constant. It is where there is a nick (a gash really)on the keeping room wall where Elizabeth knocked against a painting and it fell onto the newly painted wall and it matches the burn mark on the hardwood floor where a three year old Matthew took the hot “poker” from the fireplace and dropped it suddenly when I caught him, and the back door is old and needs to, one day, be replaced., but in the meantime it will continue to led us to the outside and shield us from the cold, just as it has done for 25 years. This list of things to do and things to repair is lengthy and eternal, just as it has always been; the difference however, is that, now, it does not matter. What matters is the healthy food I feed my family from my “state of being “ kitchen and the clean sheets that hung in the wind to dry that we sleep peacefully on at night, and the music from Elizabeth’s guitar, and the sound of the closing door when the twins come home safely late at night. What matters is that there is a canvas with wet paint on my easel and something growing in my garden and the image of my husband slipping into a peaceful nap in his chair while watching the afternoon news. I have seen the cycle of life, I have watched my mother live and then die and I have become aware of the “things” that matter and the physical state of this house does not.  I enjoy the aesthetics, I need the visual candy like the colors on the wall and the textures of its contents and cleanliness is essential, but I am good with the messy little “still lifes” of our lives piled here and there. I suppose you can say my house is a living narrative. A stranger could walk in and without any conversation, could tell you a lot about our family and I like that idea, the idea of creativity ongoing, there in every room. Being creative is a bit of a messy deal, but it is a “good mess”. Anyway, I end this crazy bit of thinking to begin dinner and to turn on my washing machine and to walk out to the garden of my wonderful old house.
till next time, p.s. November 1, 2009 New Orleans  Halloween in the Big Easy – so much fun. Elizabeth and I spent the day, October 31, in New Orleans with my two oldest sons, Jon and Will. The crowds were there, but nothing close to Mardi Gras. There were just enough to see the economic healthiness of the recovering city bit not too much to be aggravating. It was the personification of art and creativity. There is so much talent there. I have only been to Paris once a long time ago, but New Orleans, yesterday, reminded me of it. As an artist, I had all of my senses entertained – the food, the music, the paintings, the people, the weather, everything was so inspiring. I am so happy that New Orleans is still here and seemingly, flourishing. Oh, we ended the evening at a haunted house on Canal. This house is supposedly really haunted. I did not go in, but e. loved it. The big southern mansions on St. Charles were something out of Practical Magic. It was so refreshing to see such an effort made and an input into the heart of the city.
Jackson Square in front of the Cathedral . this guy did it all, sang, danced, played - so good! 
Iberville - someone's apt. 
Jackson Square 
Magic on Bourbon 
This is on Bourbon Street. Don't ask me how he did this!! 
You don't even understand how awesome these two were. The smile on the guitar player's face could light up the world. 
This mime was magical. I am sorry the picture blurred, but he was doing something unbelievable with this ball. So much talent...(that is the backside of two of my children and this is taken across the side street from Cafe Du Monde) 
nighttime p.s. November 1, 2009 art Pause the playlist for 3 minutes and be inspired. October 25, 2009 a message I got a message today, one that I want to share, one that you may already be living by, but here it is just the same. It is about living love. It seems simple, two simple words sitting side by side with a nice tempo and a hint of alliteration – live love. The problem with this living love is that “stuff” gets in the way, stuff like prejudice, jealousy, envy, anger. These things keep us from loving in a genuine way. Something to think about. .. Something else to think about is this beautiful fall day. I don’t have a great camera, but I took a couple of pictures around the house.  Are you tired of seeing these awesome peppers? Try to buy these organic, the others are sooo sprayed, better yet, grow your own. 
What is October without a fire? 
fearlessly foraging in the woods 
a place from long ago , a place from childhood. "The Fort" till next time, remember to live love 
October 24, 2009 changes  This is the time of year I feel the most connected to the South, to my hometown. It is the harvest, the fall and one of the remaining sugar mills is noisy somewhere in the distant and the smoke billows and reveals the direction of the wind. I walk outside at dusk and I hear it and I smell the cane syrup in the air and I see the trees beginning to silhouette, the fig trees are leafless and the pecan trees are nearly there. I have picked pecans for the first time this year, a modest harvest, but nonetheless, a bowl full. I look forward to more as the years pass and hope a hurricane doesn’t destroy that plan.
There is something about this time of year, after summer and before the holidays, when the season feels like home and Nature nestles and prepares for winter. I want soup on the stove and a fall wreath on my door. I was on my way to put the hens away for the night and I noticed a grouping of three icons of this place in the South – a magnolia tree, a bare fig tree, and a wood pile of split oak. Soon the fires will be lit and the days will be short and winter will seep through the cracks of this old house. I will welcome it no doubt, but for now, I want to soak up all that I can of autumn. till next time; p.s. October 21, 2009 a positive thought I accept life as it comes. Every day I become more and more the complete person I truly am. 
till next time, p.s. October 19, 2009 again 
I was "looking back" this morning at my 2008 stuff and found something I would like to post again : Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. Robert Brault till next time, p.s. October 18, 2009 Harvest 
Oh my, the weather today was so perfect. I hate that the sun is now setting and this day is over. I think about how my mood is directly dependent on the weather and wonder how unhappy we will all become when all of the countryside is eaten up from greedy city sprawl. I am sorry; I shouldn’t have said such a negative thing is my place to be positive. I will make up for that nasty comment with a “you gotta try the biscuits!!!” . I made a triple batch this morning and they are so delicious we had trouble distinguishing them from dessert. OMG. Please try them. And make sure you use real butter – the recipe actually calls for margarine (yuk - chemicals), but if you are reading this blog, you prefer butter – I just know that :) I am posting a very amateurish picture of samples from what I gathered this morning from the yard (the persimmons are from my neighbor).  I am so happy it is autumn. We seem to revitalize with the changing of the seasons; isn’t Mother Nature something. I hope I haven’t missed “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”. Oh, the bouquet of flowers is from my daughter. I know she did not read that previous post about such; perhaps it is serendipity.  I did these two little Christmas cards this week end - I am happy with them. This is just an image; the actual cards are small and cute and the message is on the image instead of the watermarks. I just was happy with the drawings and wanted to post.   Bon Noël à tous Merry Christmas October 15, 2009 biscuits Yield: 12 biscuitsMix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon into ungreased muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  I was checking out the Almanac this morning and stumbled across this recipe. I have not tried it, but I certainly will. I think this would work with fig preserves and an autumn morning. yum, p.s. Brown Bags 
I was frying potatoes last Friday night for potato sandwiches (my dad was from Texas/ Oklahoma and potato sandwiches were quiet the thing there). Anyway, I did not have any paper towels to put them on to drain – OMG – so I used a brown paper bag (not easy to find in this elegant era of the "Wal Mart Bag").Three of my kids were in the kitchen with me then and were quiet taken with this resourceful idea of the brown paper bag soaking up the oil. I started thinking about my childhood and realized my mother called upon the service of the brown “sac” on many an occasion. I wonder how surprised my children would be to know that after the brown paper bag brought in the groceries, it sometimes ended its life as a garbage bag? Sometimes, when you picked it up to throw away, the bottom would literally fall out if wet Community Coffee grinds settled there.On Sundays, it is where my mom shook the chicken to be fried. It was essential when we went on vacation - folded beach towels and our picnic lunch were safe inside the brown bags in neat rows in the trunk of the LTD. It got me to thinking about what point in my life plastic trash bags were introduced into our homes and subsequently into our landfills. I goggled it: “Union Carbide manufactured the first green garbage bags under the name Glad Garbage bags for home use in the late 1960s” .They were green (literally, not ecologically). I continued to think more about how things used to be in my mother’s kitchen. I thought of how she could prepare a home cooked meal (the only kind there ever was) without a chest freezer full of meat and a walk in pantry but with only a small freezer at the top of the Kenmore icebox that shared space with 3 aluminum ice trays and two shelves in the kitchen cabinets lined with a floral shelf paper where can goods and staples sat. Seems to me we weren’t nearly as needy (euphemism) or wasteful then. I certainly speak for myself in a haze of shame on this subject. I have a chest freezer with a huge ration of unidentifiable carcasses at the bottom of it and my pantry is stocked for Armageddon. I also have a garden. Do we need more stuff now or what? I am thinking of my mother often and how she could easily survive this economic climate of uncertainty, because of the frugal way she chose to live her life. 
in the words of Fats Domino, "now ain't that ashame?" check out this web site for some ideas http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/397335/jewish/Uses-for-Brown-Paper-Bags.htm peace, p.s. October 4, 2009 footprints If you like to take “about me” quizzes, you should take the following one. I did and was not happy with my results. yuk. http://www.myfootprint.org/en/ 
September 29, 2009 Pumpkins I just wanted to post this pumpkin! I got it at Sam's. There were piles and piles of nearly perfect pumpkins; the kind you would see on Charlie Brown's Halloween show - orange and round with earthy stems just waiting to become jack o lanterns. I sorted through and found the most perfectly shaped pumpkin and then... I picked this one. :) 
Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to absolutely ridiculus than absolutely boring. ~ Marilyn Monroe
Till next time,
p.s. September 26, 2009 Moments It’s early, only a couple of hours before people start waking up and this old house is quiet once again, everyone is either gone or still asleep. Curiously, in this quiet before the clock catapults me into my busy day, I find myself thinking of the special moments of my life and have, without much contemplation, drawn a conclusion. I think there are two sorts of moments in life, the moments highlighted by society and consequently, Hallmark ($$$), moments that we are told are BIG. Then, there are the moments authored by ME, I’ve decided, those are the moments I cherish the most… These are the times in our lives that are the purest of all; moments sent to us as sudden and unexpected gifts. Sadly, sometimes we don’t notice them or celebrate them because we only think in terms of what society has told us are the best moments, those moments that are in the commercials and advertisements; therefore they are the most important ones, right? It is exciting to be the mother of the all star hitter or the mother of the most graceful ballerina or the mother of the valedictorian, those moments fill you with pride and a sense of accomplishment in regards to society’s measuring stick and I am not here to minimize them one bit. I am here to say how pure and warm the other moments are; to take note of the simple moments that we all have, not just a chosen few of us. It is euphoric to be the mother of the six year old without front teeth trying to whistle, or the mother of a little boy who caught his first fish, or of the little girl with chubby hands holding a bouquet of wildflowers that you wish could sit atop you kitchen counter forever; those are the moments of your life. The moments society celebrates are nice but they are not pure; they are mixed with apprehensions; will he remember his speech, will my husband be there on time, will it rain, will she win, all of those negative, anxious thoughts get infused in these BIG moments, but not in these quieter, softer moments. They slip into your day without warning and stay in your heart forever. Those are the moments of my life. 
p.s. September 23, 2009 Lists “To do” lists, I seem to live by them; my days plotted out by scribblings on little scraps of paper claiming my day before it begins. I understand responsibility and certainly try to be conscientious, but how did this persistent stream of lists steal into my life and forcefully direct my day? How did I lose the freedom, the spontaneity and elasticity of the day? Does it disappear with our diplomas? I think that is when I lost the simplicity of my youth, leaving high school and going to college – the list began and have never stopped. Anyway, within the whirlwind of directories for the week end, I found a breakaway point and did something that was not on the list; I planted a bit of my fall garden. I did this in the late afternoon, before the mosquitoes “came out” and amidst the “list”. I took a picture of my before and after and my source of spontaneity and consequent joy. 
Sunday morning 
Sunday afternoon till next time, p.s. September 22, 2009 happy fall!  September 17, 2009 Today Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course Lie all the verities and realities of your existence: The bliss of growth The glory of action The splendor of beauty, For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision, But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness And tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day! Such is the salutation to the dawn. Kalidasa (Indian Poet) We all know today is all we have, yet we get ourselves stuck in the past and anxious over tomorrow. Here is something I offer to you to read and to remember. William found it in Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, a dusty old book we found on Amazon and has become a reference book of sorts for him. I hope this little poem helps you to live in the moment. 
Spider lilies mean autumn is near. What a beautiful palette Mother Nature is about to display. till next time, p.s. September 13, 2009 Mistakes I found a beautiful "mistake" the other morning in my garden. It seems I just stuck this trellis there on the brick path , probably to cut grass there, and forgot about moving it back to where it belonged, in the garden. Time passed and this is what happened: 
Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting." ~Author Unknown
If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake. ~F. Wikzekes The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. ~John Powell
If a mistake is not a stepping stone, it is a mistake. ~Eli Siegel
When you realize you've made a mistake, make amends immediately. It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm. ~Dan Heist
Mistakes are the usual bridge between inexperience and wisdom. ~Phyllis Theroux
Admit your errors before someone else exaggerates them. ~Andrew V. Mason
In the game of life it's a good idea to have a few early losses, which relieves you of the pressure of trying to maintain an undefeated season. ~Bill Vaughan
If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner. Tallulah Bankhead
The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.
Malcolm S. Forbes 
Till next time, p.s. September 6, 2009 Seeing Hello on this Sunday morning. Please turn off the playlist for about 4 minutes and listen to the following video; I promise it will impact you in a positive way. thanks p.s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OihvG607W-c
August 28, 2009 Thoreau 
"If a man walk in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer; but if he spends his whole day as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making earth bald before her time, he is esteemed an industrious and enterprising citizen. As if a town had no interest in its forests but to cut them down! " Henry David Thoreau
p.s. August 23, 2009 Changes "Whenever you fall, pick something up"...oswald avery I had to post this photo of my late summer harvest. This is what my garden is scantly producing. The pears are kieffer cooking pears and aren’t so beautiful in this late season – the bloom of youth is gone, but they are great tasting. I am itching like mad from cutting the okra but look forward to serving it. I have included a few snapshots of late August, careful not to wide angle anything because my yard/garden needs so much attention and I do not have the time to give it. I feel a lot of anxiety with this. I notice that as each season ends and another begins, I do feel anxious. I suppose it is because I love those tiny moments in time when Mother Nature changes her course and heals the earth and restores our energy and I want to savor them with such intensity, that I get myself in an anxious state. Anyway, it was 70 degrees this morning in the Deep South and I was there! I saw the delicate leaves from the crepe myrtles slowly drift downward in submission and I noticed the changing colors on the fruit trees. I witnessed armies of fat bumble bees in my citrus trees and in late blooming flowers. There was an unusually big collection of monarchs scattered across the yard and a gentle wind moving the whole eco system around. It was awesome, enchanting really. I know the day will heat up soon, but those few early morning moments were something I will look forward to again. I will be there. 
squash, basil, bay leaf, americana egg (it is blue!), pear, okra 
meyer lemons 
satsuma (and a pink crepe mrytle blossum) 
a couple of the girls "When we look with our hearts, and not with our eyes, we can see beauty in all things." jane bluestein till next time, p.s. August 19, 2009 erasers I received something really cool in the mail today - art supplies! These art supplies are very different from the supplies I ususlly receive because they are not for me; they will be for my future art students. I am scheduled to teach an art class in September and I have ordered ebony pencils and gum erasers. I look at these brand new pencils and erasers and think they they will be the tools that tap into new veins of creativity.  (how cute are these erasers??)
The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself...alan alda Till next time, p.s.
August 16, 2009 Control I stumbled across an interesting blog, http://mthopeacademy.blogspot.com/. There was a quote she posted on an entry that I would like to pass on to you. It is by William James, someone much favored by my son, William. Why should we think upon things that are lovely?
Because thinking determines life.
It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment.
Environment modifies life but does not govern life.
The soul is stronger than its surroundings.
~William James 
I find this thought to be so empowering. Have a nice Sunday. p.s. August 15, 2009 Welcome While looking around in my garden yesterday evening, I noticed two signs I have “posted” there, both say ”Welcome”. I wondered why I chose two signs that say the same thing in such a small space as my garden. I rather liked the subliminal message I was sending. I thought of this idea of welcoming people and changes into our lives, not just accepting them but opening your heart up and saying “welcome” and really meaning it, saying “I am glad you are here and now part of my world and from this point on I will try to make you feel welcome and I will be grateful that you are here and understand that God put you here for a reason”. I know this statement is cliché and I try hard not to use clichés, but I have to classify that as a belief of mine and until I can figure out a more rhythmical way to say it, I will humbly (and graciously) use it. Anyway, welcome to you and I am glad you are "here" reading my little musings, trying to put just a bit of positive energy in your day. I do not mean to be so presumptuous to think I have any effect upon you or your day, but I think that when we read or see positive images, we are affected by them and that is really all I am trying to do. 
Till next time, p.s. August 13, 2009 House keeping 
I could hardly wait to get home today from work so that I could release some of this creative energy that began to collect in my head this morning. I had a plethora of ideas stabbing my right brain hemisphere all day causing so much anxiety. Anyway, I am home now and the muses have departed. Go figure. I think it is really good, however, because I need to do something domestic tonight. I want to close the door to my laundry room and fold a mountain of clothes – I want to tri fold my towels the way my mother did instead of double fold like I do when I am in a hurry. I want to think of her and how I would watch the lyrical way she folded towels and washed dishes and wiped the kitchen table while she talked to me; I want to ache for those moments. I want to put groceries away in my cabinet being mindful of order and wash all of the shelves clean of cracker crumbs. I want to put things in their places. Then, I want to go outside when the late summer sun is near the ground but not yet gone and look at my untidy garden and imagine, once again, how it will look in fall. I will decide where the cabbages will go and whether I will plant cauliflower and then I will gather my eggs and come inside. By then, I may want to paint a while. 
summer's end p.s. August 10, 2009 Staying There It seems I am wanting to post something today, but my mind doesn’t settle down long enough to think a complete thought. This is the exact reason I started this blog. I needed a place to put my thoughts, a place to sort through all of the gunk each day throws at me and I needed to filter through that stuff and write down all the good things that resonate. Well, here I am tonight much like I began trying to sort through this day. I am back at work now so everything has changed for me. I had such a rich summer in terms of time to create and now I am away from home, away from my paints and my keyboard, for 8 hours a day and it seems my right brain has been injected with some sort of numbing agent. Therefore, I am feeling a strong desire to write something, anything that is artistically generated. I would like to say that while I was “away” my moonflower finally grew up enough to bloom. I have been waiting all summer for this and it has happened. I would like to also make note of the way I felt for just a moment after work today. I went into the “front room” of my house and sank into the comfort of the couch there and just sat in stillness and looked at all of the memories in that room and I thought of Christmases there and my mother reading The Polar Express to my kids and I thought of early spring and opening the windows and hearing the world wake up, my world, the one here at home, the best place. Anyway, that old sofa felt so good to lie on and that old room felt so wonderful to remember in. I feel a bit better now, I feel as though I have stopped for a while and realized things in my day that are really important and I have posted an entry that is true to my commitment here. 
till next time, p.s. August 8, 2009 Little Women I’m not sure why I find myself thinking of Louisa May Alcott this morning – a bit strange?? I have this image of her writing desk under her upstair’s bedroom window in their house in Concord MA. The house is still there and can be visited. I would love to stand in that room. I read Little Women for the first time in 4th grade. It was the fattest red book I had ever opened and hated to close. Anyway, on this Saturday morning, I find myself thinking of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, their wonderful Marmee and their very simple days at Orchard House. A Merry Christmas
"Jo was the first to wake in the gray dawn of Christmas morning. No stockings hung at the fireplace, and for a moment she felt as much disappointed as she did long ago, when her little sock fell down because it was crammed so full of goodies. Then she remembered her mother's promise and, slipping her hand under her pillow, drew out a little crimson-covered book. She knew it very well, for it was that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived, and Jo felt that it was a true guidebook for any pilgrim going on a long journey. She woke Meg with a Merry Christmas, and bade her see what was under her pillow. A green-covered book appeared, with the same picture inside, and a few words written by their mother, which made their one present very precious in their eyes. Presently Beth and Amy woke to rummage and find their little books also, one dove-colored, the other blue, and all sat looking at and talking about them, while the east grew rosy with the coming day." 
till next time, p.s. August 7, 2009 A Thought That man is rich whose pleasures are the cheapest.
Henry David Thoreau
August 5, 2009 Full Sturgeon Moon
p.s. August 4, 2009 Farm animals  Not much to “say” on this last day of summer vacation. My daughter and I stayed up last night creating farm animals. They are so cute. I will share a couple with you, but I am not yet certain that they will “be” just yet. I have a silly idea for a painting I want to include them in. Just fun stuff with Elizabeth…
p.s. 
August 2, 2009Time The bloom of summer is quickly fading here in the Deep South. I noticed the changes when I was cutting grass yesterday. Some of the leaves are not as green and some even hint at being golden. The dragonflies were still out in numbers but I noticed how big they are by early August. Remember the baby dragonfly I posted just a short while ago? I feel some melancholy in regards to the passing season. It makes me think of time and children and how quickly they grow. We can’t hold on can we? I started a “book” many years ago about the journey I was on as a young mom. I never finished it (too busy) but, I was, even then, then when I was young, aware of the passage of time. I knew they would grow up quickly. Some days, I admit, I was happy about this rapid course, but generally, I knew it was fleeting and I knew I would miss them. I wrote “We have somewhat of a morning ritual, a ritual that gives kisses before words are spoken and deeds are done. Their little kindergarten bodies are still warm with sleep and their blue eyes are half closed, but they shine with the new day, a day stretching out for miles and filled with adventure. What a privilege it is to witness these moments.” Standing in line one day at the drugstore, my two year old twins in tow, and an old man was watching me, watching me struggle to complete such a simple task as make a purchase. I knew he was watching me, there with my four little boys exploding with energy and curiosity. Finally, he spoke, and said “enjoy them while they’re little, the years go by so quickly” and then he said with a big smile and a wink ‘it’s those days that are so long”. I have never forgotten those words and his smile as he spoke that truism. Anyway, I am not sure why I am writing this except that it is Sunday morning, a reflective spiritual time for me, and the trees are changing a bit, my garden, except for the okra, is finished and another school year is upon us and this is the month I lost my mother and it all just adds up to a hint of melancholy. Enjoy your children and enjoy the rest of summer when Sirius is hiding in the sky and we go through these dog days.
just wanted to end this post with a smile for you... till next time, p.s. July 31, 2009The Big Easy My daughter and I went on a one day excursion to New Orleans to shop for school “stuff” and visit two of my sons who live there. I am happy to report that the city, post Katrina, is looking good. I have been there several times since the storm and it is clear, to me, that the city is alive and well. I am so happy to say that because I have such a fondness for and history with this national treasure. Life has certainly changed on the river, but there are many reminders of times past and I, for one, am so thankful to walk the streets of the French Quarter, shop on Magazine with my daughter, and end the day with beignets and café’ au lait. I am posting something I wrote for my newspaper column two years after Katrina devastated south Louisiana. I always like to be reminded of these things during hurricane season. Hope you like it too Still Here Somewhere in the middle of summer, between the Fourth of July and Labor Day, between Biloxi and Lake Charles, there exists this place of harmony. It is a place that rests on the breezes from the Gulf and flows through the fields of cane to a lazy summer day and brings with it a feeling of security, like something safely stuffed between two pillows. It feels like home. At dusk, when the sky is a myriad of color, locust and gulf breezes fill my senses and nights are about star gazing and hand cranked ice cream and fireflies. I hear the night sounds here in the middle of summer and I see the Big Dipper, stoic and still pointing to the North Star. I catch a twinkle of twilight when the frogs call the loudest and the chimney sweeps swoop for supper. There, at the foot of the woods, is a night creature. I hear him searching for food, just as he did the night before, moving through the brush. Perhaps it is a opossum, perhaps a raccoon that has found himself here running along the bayous while darkness shields them, searching for substance. Every night I can hear them foraging and each morning I know they have been here. I see the holes the armadillos have dug and I find the tiny round pellets the wild rabbits have left beneath my fruit trees. Sometimes, if I wake early enough, I can hear the sleepy owl, hooting over the cane fields, looking for the field mouse he may have missed. Again, they have come. The robins came this spring. They came from the woods into our backyards and they sat there portly and content with wiggling worms in their beaks. Happy to be here, happy that winter was over and the sun and the warm rains had caused, once again, a vertical migration of meals. They sang, along with the lonely mockingbird, looking for a mate, and the noisy blue jay, looking for dominance. They are all here; they have all come back to this place that is home. Just today, in the early morning, there in the garden, while the sun was gallantly peeping over the live oaks, I could see the ladybugs busily eating aphids and there were my two old hens, pecking and scratching while the barred rooster crowed and the dragonflies were sitting on my clothesline, waiting for mosquitoes. They are still here. It is nighttime now, a summer night that brings a gentle wind to cool us off. We sit on porches and we listen to all that is home. We hear the sweet voices of children winding down in the distance, and the Sunset Limited making its way through town and the jingle of the ice cream truck finding its way home. We are still here. The screen door opens and slams shut, while the evening falls and the day ends, Here we are, somewhere along the gulf coast, somewhere in the Deep South, where some wounds are still open and some troubles need more time. Nonetheless, life is moving along like the River and healing with the summer rain. Like a rhythm that is timeless, one that can not be washed away or blown down, it is deep rooted southern living,
I only took 2 pictures; I will share the one I took of Tulane.
Thankfully, p.s. July 28, 2009flowers"Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day,like writing a poem or saying a prayer”. Anne Morrow Lindbergh 
I just picked these from my yard - wish you could smell the gardenias.
p.s. July 23, 2009Summer All of the big days are over; Father's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day. What remains are dog days. A time when the brightest star of all, Sirius, the Dog Star, rises after and then sets before the sun, therefore, not visible to us in the Northern Hemisphere. These are the hottest days of summer, days where we sit and visit and complain about the weather and try to decide if we have had the summer we intended, or is it still invisible like Sirius?  Why are you in such a hurry? I wish you would slow down; I need more time to watch your brilliant sunsets with no place else to be, more time to hear the loud noise the cicadas make when your days have been scorching, I need to hear the chime of the ice cream truck somewhere in the distance and the heavy raindrops falling when the clouds are full and the cement is hot,
and I need to see more dragon flies line up along my clothesline in early morning, and more time to see rainbows across your summer sky and children tired from play and the farmer’s market swelled with cadmium tomatoes and indigo eggplants, and June bugs and porch lights, and moonflowers at night. You must slow down summer, I haven’t had enough of your warmth and your relaxed manner. 
 Why don't you sit and stay a while longer ... 
p.s. July 21, 2009Mercury This is not my typical kind of entry, but I found this info to be useful and thought I would pass it on to you. p.s. Avoiding Mercury in FishTopic OverviewFrom Healthwise What is mercury?Mercury is a metal found naturally in the environment. Human activities, such as farming, burning coal, and using mercury in manufacturing, increase the mercury cycling through the air, water, and soil. In water, mercury changes its form and becomes methylmercury. Fish absorb this mercury. When you eat fish containing mercury, you absorb the mercury, and at high levels it can be harmful. Mercury will leave the body over time in the urine, feces, and breast milk. Do you need to avoid the mercury found in fish?For most people, the level of mercury absorbed by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Overall, fish and shellfish are healthy foods. They contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids, a type of essential fatty acid. A balanced diet that includes fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's growth and development. Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. But some contain high levels. Eating large amounts of these fish and shellfish can result in high levels of mercury in the human body. In a fetus or young child, this can damage the brain and nerves (nervous system). Because of the mercury found in fish, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise the following people to avoid eating fish high in mercury and to eat limited amounts of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury: Women who may become pregnant
If you are concerned about your or your child's mercury level, talk to your doctor or local health department about testing. How should you change your eating habits to reduce your exposure to mercury in fish?The FDA and EPA recommend that women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children:1, 2 Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish, because these all contain high levels of mercury. Eat up to 12 oz (340 g) a week (two average meals) of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna, has more mercury than canned light tuna. So when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 oz (170 g) a week (one average meal) of albacore tuna.
Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 oz (170 g) a week (one average meal) of fish caught from local waters, but don't eat any other fish during that week. Should a woman who is not planning a pregnancy be concerned?Mercury accumulates in your bloodstream over time and slowly leaves the body through urine, feces, and breast milk. If you eat a lot of fish high in mercury, it may take up to a year for your mercury levels to drop after you stop eating the fish. If you decide to become pregnant or have an unplanned pregnancy, you may have high levels of mercury. While elevated levels of mercury usually do not cause significant health problems, they may affect a developing fetus. If you are of childbearing age, try to follow the guidelines above when you eat fish. Where can you get more information?For specific information on: The amount of mercury in commercial fish, see www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html. The fish or shellfish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas, see www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/states.htm.
For general information on mercury in fish, see: Your local health department or environmental agency. The EPA fish Web site at www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish. The EPA mercury Web site at www.epa.gov/mercury. The FDA seafood Web site at www.cfsan.fda.gov/seafood1.html.
July 19, 2009 An Analogy 
Coming in from a walk this morning I thought of something, something about our children, that was freeing. This thought developed when I walked by a patch of zinnias I had planted late in the season, much too late to enjoy, I thought. I had scattered a few cherished seeds left over from the big spring planting along a small bit of my garden fence. I planted them in a straight line along the fence, imaging they would germinate and grow all within a given time and then bloom in that straight line I had intended. And ultimately, I would cut them and put them in a vase in my kitchen to enjoy. Well, as the days passed, only a few actually germinated and they were never in a straight line – the environment had had its hand in their development; the birds carried some off for a picnic, the wind blew many away, and the rains came and gently washed some away, all things out of my jurisdiction. Soon, I had little hope that my tiny zinnia patch, my midsummer burst of color and joy, would bloom and grow as I had planned; I was disappointed. Today, this morning, suddenly, without warning, I noticed them and they were all grown up and beautiful. They were not in the neat little row I had planted them in and there were big and small spaces between them but they were beautiful and purposeful and most importantly, unique and happy there, reaching for the sun and bringing gladness. I thought of how we manage our children perfectly (somewhat) and they begin to grow and develop but sometimes, many times, it is not as we planned and in some cases we think maybe they will never “get there” and then one day we look at them and realize they did get there; they got to their place, the place they need to be in and they did it in a rhythm and in a time frame that is theirs and most importantly, they are unique and happy there. No matter how carefully we read the instructions and how carefully we plan, Nature will prevail and will do things her way; that is the thought I find so freeing and refreshing. Anyway, sometimes this afternoon, I will be able to cut a beautiful bunch of zinnias for my kitchen, a bunch that has taken awhile, for it is late July, trailing behind the ones of early June, but a bunch that is unique and just as lovely and will bring as much joy as the ones of early summer.  p.s. July 17, 2009 Grand Coteau 
Twelve years ago on March 11, my mother’s birthday, she and I and my then 2 year old daughter drove to historic Grand Coteau, LA to visit the Academy of the Sacred Heart. At the time, I was considering the Academy for my daughter and I wanted to check it out. To describe this historic school would take most of the day; it is nearly 200 years old, begun in 1821 by Mother Eugenie Aude and Sister Mary Layton. Eight girls entered the school in October of that year and it has been in operation ever since, maintaining its’ all girl status and its’ religious conviction. Sadly, my mother would pass away unexpectedly later that year and my daughter would begin school in our town instead of an hour away at the Academy. I have always wanted to go back there with my daughter but I feared the pain of the memories. Yesterday was the day I chose to make the trek and to find again all that happened that day with my mom. We visited the same places and saw the same things, this time I was “the mom” and I was the one to explain Acadian history and how life used to be in Grand Coteau, an old Acadian settlement that time has not ravished with Wal-Mart’s and golden arches. http://www.ashcoteau.org/site26.php It was very “freeing” to be able to make the emotional journey and remember that day, which was to be my mother’s last birthday, and share a bit of it with her granddaughter, whom sadly, has no memory of her. We were given a tour of the school. I cannot begin to describe this place. They were putting in central air for the first time. The nuns in those habits in the Deep South,just try to imagine the feeling!! The most amazing space was the chapel and the infirmary that houses the Shrine of Saint John Berchmans, where the miracle actually occurred. We Continued to Arnaudville and then to Breaux Bridge ,an excursion that took us along the Bayou Teche, amongst the sugarcane and milo fields and back to my mom. This is the kind of thing she loved to do; to go back in time to places she had read about and times she had known. I have to say, it was a bit different with my daughter, however, with her iPod plugged into the dashboard listening to music from Jack Jones to Jason Aldean and noticing how small these places were. With my mom, there would be little music, instead there would be history lessons from her. flavored with personal tidbits from her past. I suppose that is exactly how I must have sounded to my daughter today, like an audio guide and a personal story teller. Life is a circle.         p.s. Here, at the end of the day, is when I think I do best with my thoughts. In the morning, everything is new again; the day is a fresh slate not yet written on. It takes a bit of time to put script and life on the blank page of the day to create feelings, like life and wisdom. It seemed like today might have been a bit empty, dental appointment for Elizabeth, laundry, cooking supper,not much of anything too exciting, but then it all became a starburst of sorts. First, I figured out how to scan my old slides onto my Mac and burn them to a disc!!! I spent most of the afternoon reliving the summer of 1983 in Miami and Key Largo. In between scans, I sat at my easel and worked on a big slice of watermelon. Parallel to this epic event was more tie dying; Elizabeth did 15 more shirts. We barely spoke throughout the afternoon, but we were both having fun with our right brains and somehow connected.  I thought of how fortunate we were not to have gone on vacation this summer; staying home has given us the time and place to be creative and productive and that is so rewarding.   I end this day with good solid feelings. Many things happened today that were wonderful, despite the fact that the day began with a start – a phone call that someone had accidentally ran their car into our place of business. At that moment, with that call, I felt a bit queasy and a lot of discouragement, for the "thing" they had run into had just been replaced. Soon, however, I was able to absorb it and realize “things could most definitely be worse”. Anyway, back to the good part of my day. First, I had time today to hang out a big load of laundry, and while at my old clothesline, I remembered my boys when they were little running through the laundry in summer and Hailey, our dog of long ago, jumping when I wasn’t there pulling down every last piece and I remembered carrying Elizabeth in the laundry basket to the clothesline when she was little and needed to be with me every minute. I remembered the first dragonflies of summer resting on my clothesline and hanging cloth diapers and baby blankets my mother made. Anyway, that was the wonderful thing that helped ease the discomfort of the early morning phone call.  Something else that was wonderful was the tie dye operation that occurred for most of the afternoon. My 14 year old decided to learn how to tie dye from a You Tube video and she very well did. We scavenged the town for V neck T’s and Rit dye and she spent all afternoon tie dying 8 shirts. All the while, my husband had my twins outside teaching them to change brakes on their truck. I don’t know, but it was all such a wonderful atmosphere of creativity and learning – progressive positive karma being generated from the home. It felt so good to have these three of my children learning and doing things that were being taught by us. Our home became a classroom of sorts, instead of spending hours being negatively influenced by someone else. I suppose that is a snapshot of how life used to be. Why did society leave that place? Why did we sell the farm? 
All the while throughout all of this domestic harmony, figs were slow cooking on the stove to be packed and savored this winter when hot biscuits and Saturday mornings are here. And then, I had a visit from a friend who came to see my paintings and brought gifts of goat cheese, from a local goat, and more figs to put up!! I was able to give him pears from my Kieffer pear tree and fresh eggs from my hens – how wonderful is that? On the fringes of evening, I walked to the paper box to get the news of the day and almost mystically, there appeared three small fires in the distance, someone burning twigs and debris in their fields or yards. It was the quintessential summer evening, one I will remember in winter when there is a fire inside and cold and damp out. I am posting a few pictures of this amazing day and hope you can find magic in your day, amidst all that is inevitably upside down. 
check out the dragonfly peace p.s. peace, p.s. T he summer heats up here too much; things are dying, like shallow rooted azaleas and newly planted fruit trees, and my summer spirit. I have to push myself to hang clothes or cook a meal because I know how oppressive the heat will be. While I was on my brief backyard/ garden sojourn yesterday I found two enduring gifts of summer, however. The concord grapes are growing on an arbor that is old and awkwardly leaning to one side and the orange bell pepper was hastily put on my easel which is near the backdoor. I loved the way it looked amongst the splatters of cadmiums and ceruleans, so here it is to share with you. It is so important to grow your own bell peppers or buy organic since they are one of the vegetables that are doused so heavily with poisons. Why wouldn’t you want to grow one of these anyway?
It is a bit late, but I have it in my head to get an entry in on this first day of summer. I was in my little herb patch this morning to gather herbs for bruschetta and I noticed my parsley was about stripped to the “bone”. When I looked a little closer I saw this: 
 They are so beautiful and perfect they do not seem real. My daughter and I snipped the stems they were hanging out on and brought them to the woods to finish their lives far away from my curly leaf parsley. I also spent this first day of summer putting up chow chow.This was my grandmother’s recipe, one she brought with her from the Texas plains to the bayous of Louisiana. I remember my grandpa having a tiny little garden every summer – just enough- and early in summer, about now, he would “sacrifice” some of his tomatoes and pick them green so my grandmother could make this chow chow. It was a big event in their lives, not something they did while they were doing something else. It was important, as our food should be.They chopped everything by hand; food processors had not been invented yet. What I especially like about this recipe, other than it makes me think of my grandparents, is the turmeric in it. I double the amount because I believe it is a super spice and it is not used very much. Hope you make this. Chow Chow – Mae Farris’ recipe – 5 pints 1 small cabbage 2 cups chopped onion 2 cups chopped green tomato 2 cups chopped bell pepper (about 4) 3 T salt Chop and let stand 4 – 6 hours in a cool place. Drain well. Combine: 2 ½ cups vinegar, 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. turmeric, ½ tsp. ground ginger, 2 tsp. celery seed, 1 tsp.mustard seed, Simmer for 10 minutes. Add vegetables and simmer 10 minutes. Pack and process about 15 minutes.   The morning here was nice. I measure it by the peacefulness of the season and my home and the bounty of my garden. I have decided beyond a doubt, pole beans are far superior to bush beans. I have both this year and I am certain, the pole beans are much better, not to mention easier to pick. I felt I could go on and on this morning turning a white bucket green with string beans. I do say string beans because there is a string to pull while snapping. I was up close to the garden this morning and happily saw two beautiful little lady bugs busy keeping my garden clean and unfortunately I could smell the presence or absence of a stick bug or two. I have faith, however, in my well balanced organic garden that I will ultimately end up with most of the produce. I was able to pick two large zucchinis and three yellow squashes and a small bucket of cucumbers. The older I get, the more I appreciate going to the garden and gathering food for the table, fresh food grown with only sunshine and water. On the way back from the garden, I was greeted by my first morning glory. Every morning of my life is not so delightful, but this morning, the stars were all lined up in my universe and I am grateful.
Definition of hero - remarkably brave person, somebody who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown an admirable quality such as great courage or strength of character.
There is a clay pot that needs a flower, shutters that need a coat of white paint, and a garden that needs tending, but most importantly, there is the American flag, visible at the back door, waving as it should, on Memorial Day. It is there, in honor of our heroes, the real ones, not the bogus ones the media tells us to honor and model ourselves after. “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” | Arthur Ashe |
 Like many other holidays in our country, Memorial Day has become a comedy of errors. Sadly, for many of us, the meaning gets lost in the beer. I wish there were no war and no need for soldiers, but it seems Plato may have been right “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” Till next time, p.s.
Because of my daughter, I have discovered this song and this artist that I really am drawn to. She is from the UK, her name is Lily Allen. I am familiar with only one of her songs, but I love it. I am posting the lyrics. There will be a couple of deleted words that are inappropriate, but the message, the spoof, the mockery of our materialistic society, is clear without them. The Fear I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and ..........loads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous
I'll look at The Sun and I'll look in The Mirror
I'm on the right track yeah I'm onto a winner
Chorus
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so ................. fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And it's not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function
I'll look at The Sun and I'll look in The Mirror
I'm on the right track yeah we're onto a winner
Chorus
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Now everything's cool as long as I'm getting thinner
Chorus
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Til next time, p.s. 
Till next time, p.s. Just a quick note on something I read in MENSHEALTH that I found interesting: In 1957, a serving of popcorn at the drive-in was 3 cups. Today a medium-size popcorn at the multiplex is 16 cups. In 1957, 1 ounce of cooked ground beef made up your typical hamburger. Today the average hamburger is 6 ounces. Muffins were tiny in 1957, about 1 1/2 ounces. Now they typically weigh in at 8 ounces and pack 400 calories. A large soda in 1957 measured 8 fluid ounces compared with 32 ounces in 1997, or often 64 ounces today February 16, 2009 Home Dr. Weil is the closest thing I have for a doctor at this moment and I found this bit of information on his web site today and I wanted to share.  Creating a Sanctuary
Your home - whether big, small, or somewhere in between - should be your sanctuary, a place where stress is left at the door and your soul is nurtured. For a more comforting environment, gradually implement the following changes into your home:
Bring the outdoors in. Cut flowers and blooming bulbs, or pieces of wood, rocks and other natural elements can create a feeling of nature indoors. Bring green plants into your home, especially varieties that filter indoor pollutants. According to the Foliage for Clean Air Council, these include Gerbera daisies, Boston ferns, English ivy, chrysanthemums, Areca palms, spider plants and golden pothos. The Council recommends having two plants for every 100 square feet. Paint a room to correlate with how you want to feel while in that room. For instance, blue and green promote a relaxed feeling and may be good for the bedroom. Surround your senses with beauty. Artwork, fragrance, smooth textures and calming sounds all provide a pleasant environment in which to relax. Set aside a room or area for peace and calm. A place for spiritual reflection and meditation can provide shelter from noise and distraction. Clean out the clutter. A low-maintenance home is refreshing after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores. Fewer items can mean less frustration. Create an atmosphere of love. Display handmade or meaningful gifts from loved ones and photos of family and friends. Allow natural light to flow into your home. To take advantage of the sun's cycle without heating up your home, hang linen curtains (organic cotton, if possible) on windows that face north or south. If you have a nice garden or view from a window or two, keep those windows uncovered as much as possible when you are home. Read a book instead of watching television, or listen to music. If you desire or enjoy background noise, consider installing a small fountain to provide a soothing hum.
more Weil... "The research is clear on this issue: challenging your mind on a regular basis helps to lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease" Till next time, p.s. February 14, 2009 Love Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that. ~Michael Leunig 
February 1, 2009 Creativity  I remember many wonderful things about my wonderful mother. I could probably write a book on the wisdoms she spoke and tried to make my young mind understand, but as most always, her astuteness was untimely, for I was too young and too narsasistic then. Now, years after and after she is gone, I remember and I understand each word and each lesson. I am so thankful she planted those seeds. I remember one day and one reoccurring lesson; it happened on Good Friday when my children were little. We had gone to her house to dye Easter eggs. This decision was somewhat impulsive and unplanned. Do you think she made a hasty trip to the store to buy dyes? No, she searched in cupboards, the refrigerator, and in the yard; she used what she found. Resourcefulness. I remember asking her that day, why not go to the store and buy the things you need? She said that took the creativity from the project, the challenge was to create with what you had. I always think of that moment and that lesson. The eggs turned out beautiful and sat proudly on her kitchen table in a little straw basket that she had found in the living room closet. I can remember she used coffee for the beautiful brown eggs, yellow and red onion skins, and maybe canned spinach for some of the other colors. I do remember their beauty and her display of creativity and resourcefulness. I found this list of such suggestions for natural egg dying. Easter is a ways off, but this idea of making do is something for each day of your life. Anyway, maybe you can do something different this Easter and fill up an old basket with creativity, resourcefulness, and naturally dyed eggs. | Color | Ingredients | | Lavender | Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice
Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice
Red Zinger Tea | | Violet Blue | Violet Blossoms
Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins (boiled)
Hibiscus Tea
Red Wine | | Blue | Canned Blueberries
Red Cabbage Leaves (boiled)
Purple Grape Juice | | Green | Spinach Leaves (boiled)
Liquid Chlorophyll | | Greenish Yellow | Yellow Delicious Apple Peels (boiled) | | Yellow | Orange or Lemon Peels (boiled)
Carrot Tops (boiled)
Celery Seed (boiled)
Ground Cumin (boiled)
Ground Turmeric (boiled)
Chamomile Tea
Green Tea | | Golden Brown | Dill Seeds | | Brown | Strong Coffee
Instant Coffee
Black Walnut Shells (boiled)
Black Tea | | Orange | Yellow Onion Skins (boiled)
Cooked Carrots
Chili Powder
Paprika | | Pink | Beets
Cranberries or Juice
Raspberries
Red Grape Juice
Juice from Pickled Beets | | Red | Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled)
Canned Cherries with Juice
Pomegranate Juice
Raspberries |
January 1, 2009 Beginnings Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin
happy new year p.s.
| | check out this artist, Lucy Hunnicutt...awesome http://www.amerifolk.com/
comments...
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Sketches of My Day Soothing Songs THE STORY OF STUFF Books you might enjoy The Blue Zones This was a great book. It left me a bit sad, however, to see how far away from Nature we are going. Instead of embracing our natural resources, we are destroying them at rapid rates. Our Western culture has even reached it's greedy hands in ancient villages. The author is Dan Buetter and has done a great job coll ecting this valuable information on how to live a longer, healthier life. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living I am listening to this book. Dale Carnegie’s message is timeless. My husband has always been a fan of his and now my son, William, has discovered Carnegie and William James on the dusty shelves of his university's shelves. I have seen the books from this library; they are books that served another generation, but have, still, an important and reoccurring message. While I love the hardcopy approach to reading, I find the audio works well for me. I don’t care to run errands and drive around town, so being able to listen to Dale’s timeless message is motivation to get in the car.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle The sub title to this book is A Year of Food Life; this title works better for me. I really enjoyed the journey Barbara Kingsolver shared with the reader; the concept is somewhat romantic, but certainly refreshing. If, after reading this book, you only turn over a 4x8 patch of backyard soil and scatter some carrot seeds, you have gained something positive from the book.
My two favorite rooms in my house are my kitchen and the little “left over” room off of the kitchen, which I have claimed for my studio. These two rooms pulsate for me. Something is most always cooking and something is most always sitting on my easel. Because of this preference, this book worked for me. The significance of the kitchen in family life and whole food is a point well made by Barbara Kingsolver.
Gift From the Sea Gift from the Sea is, for me, the ultimate handbook on how to live simply and genuinely. One summer, in 1955, on a beach in New England, Anne Morrow Lindbergh found solitude and space for meditation and inspiration. She spent the summer writing about seashells and life, comparing the two. Even then, she spoke out about the trappings of our contemporary world and the paradox of our modern gadgets; things that should aid us really become adversaries in our lives by taking from us time, time we use to tend to our “stuff” instead of our life. The sea and the sand and the peacefulness of the beach are everpresent and her words are soothing and rhythmical and take the reader to a place of contemplation and peacefulness. Tuck it in your sun bleached straw tote and take it to the beach.While you sit near the ocean and walk in the sand, search your soul and find your essence. Lust For Life This is classified a fictionalized biography written by Irving Stone, but it rings true for me and is very effective in portraying the fervor that Vincent Van Gogh lived with and the genius he possessed. I first read this book as a twenty year old art student and I have since reread it (twice) as an adult, two very different interpretations, yet one conclusion; the book is tremendous. While it is certainly poignant, it is encouraging (for the reader) to know that his work and his life are revered today. It is very frustrating to think how he and some that knew him died never really knowing the brilliance that was Van Gogh. When I read about his life (he wrote many, many letters to his brother Theo), I am able to see the essence of art. He had to paint and he did, regardless of what else he had to do or sacrifice, including food and relationships; he painted. I attach myself to this because it seems “we’ always have an excuse as to why we can not do things – not enough money, not enough time, I don’t feel just right, when my kids are older, it is too late, I have to clean the kitchen, etc. Van Gogh never had a reason not to paint. I could never live a life as extreme as his life, but I take from it lessons, lessons about “taking” life and not waiting for that illusive perfect moment to do what I love to do. If you choose to read this book, you will have a deeper understanding of Van Gogh and perhaps he will not just be the iconic artist that cut off his ear, but a person that lived by his own rules and refused to give up on his passion.
The Invisible Garden Four summers have passed since I last read Dorothy Sucher’s The Invisible Garden. I discovered this literary treasure by suggestion of my one and only cousin on my dad’s side. To date, it is the best literary recommendation I have ever received. This little book, with the electric blue house on the cover, is reflective and encourages placidness and stillness; it is a good place to stop and feel summer in the garden. The author has come upon a farmhouse in rural Vermont and, although she has never really gardened, she begins. She takes you through the bramble that surrounds her little blue house and we discover how she transforms it and herself into a place of beauty. This book is very much about coming to terms with a garden and subsequently yourself.
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