Thursday, December 11, 2008

saving the ta-tas with art


What a night of wonder*full wishcrafting. Beautiful handcrafted bricks lined table after table at the 7th annual Breast Cancer Brick Auction on Oct 26th. I had hosted a bricktacular party in July so friends and I had several donated bricks to art up for the cause.

We grooved to music, noshed on delicious snacks and happily arted up around 12 bricks.

we're saving the ta-tas with art.

get naked - play with paint


I'm catching up on my bloggin here - so forgive the late details -BUT have you ever felt like stripping off all your clothes, getting out the acrylics and just body painting w/ a 2 year old? My inner wild child loved the antics and my Ryan had a blast - even got a few 5X7's out of the frolicking!
Moral of the story- out of chaos comes creativity.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Truth Tellers found on the 4th


On Independence Day, to honor FREEdom & Un-Freedom yet to claimed, I visited the National Underground Museum [Freedom Center] in Cincinnati. I always felt a deep pride for living in my current town of Springboro, founded by abolitionist Quakers who housed people on their way North on the underground railroad. This 4th of July felt like a great day to expand my understanding of freedom and invoke the goodness of the Quaker ancestors buried down the road from where I lay my head every evening.

While visiting, I spent a considerable amount of time breathing in the beauty of the visiting work of Artist Robert Shetterly - Americans Who Tell the Truth exhibit. Whoa...beautiful paintings with hand-scratched quotes of humanity expressing their authentic experience, no matter what the cost of offense & loyalty to societal values- these audacious Americans they live their gospel truth.
Portrait above is:
Terry Tempest Williams N
Naturalist, Writer, Environmental Activist1955 –
"The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are
praying for us to see beyond our own time."

What a validation of Independence Day - forgedda about the cookout & a cold one - these courageous dreamers and citizens were the real celebration for me! Check it out yourself:

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

defining religion



I ran into a really striking bulletin board for a church recently -
had to take a snapshot. In case you don't have your bi-focals on, it says:


Religion is GOODNESS with its sleeves rolled up.



It made me think of another quote on religion I like:


"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." The Dalai Lama

re·li·gion
1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
3. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
4. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
5. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

Having zeal or devotion to kindness...or goodness...nuff said.

wild & wonder*full West Virginia



I went chasing the sun and kissin' the wind this past wkend on a BMLM [Bare Minimum Last Minute] **trip to W. Virginia. Some wishfull observations:

1. Ohio doesn't have any Biscuit World restaraunts...pity...miss the sweet tea and honey biscuits already.

2. Cicadas provide natural musical serenading as you drive -roll down the windows -turn OFF your stereo and give it a listen...before they're gone.


3. Lop-sided-abandoned-weather-beaten-old-barns are now my new curiosity...maybe...obsession.

4. Queen size sheets spray painted with messages make fantastic community message boards!


5. Listening to live banjo pickin' bluegrass music & eating fresh home cooked organic food is really "almost heaven"...


I wishweaved all the way from Charleston to the New River Gorge Bridge -- evidence by the pics!

**BMLM -Bare Minimum, Last Minute -pronounced - Bim-Lim, -definition- the best way to have a party, live life, take out the fussiness and hassle of ' IT ' -concept invented by SARK
http://www.planetsark.com/

Sunday, June 15, 2008

2 yr old wisdom




Out of the mouths of babes always comes wisdom. this weekend, my little grandman, Ryan, watered all the plants. "Come on!" he said...with the utmost enthusiasm. AND off we went. Filling up, pouring out and nourishing every single plant. Over and over and over again.


His smile never went away. His joyed overflowed. His childlike wonder always teaches and amazes me. I am so thankful for his lessons.


Especially at this time, where water is scare, can be destructive and taken for granted, may the simple act of nourishing with one our most basic life's chemicals, water, bring you thankfulness too.

Canadian cuppa tea

After my art-fest at the hotel, I was ready to get out and explore. Terry had business in Canada so I tagged along. Once we made it past the 40 mile detour, Bridge to Canada, and found our destination. I got the Ford Edge to explore Ontario for about 4 hours. I found extraordinary wineries everywhere I drove. HUGE greenhouses with lush plants just inviting the guests in. In Kingsville, the southern most part of Canada, http://www.town.kingsville.on.ca/

I had a blast discovering why this Victorian town is so charming. At Annabell's' I had a delicious cuppa Iron Goddess green tea with a vanilla scone, Devon cream, strawberry preserves and luscious service! OF course, some wish tickets were left at Annabell's for someone, someday...

After that I went to 'once upon a time' a thrift-estate-garage-sale-kinda store [IE: heaven] and rummaged through their moving sale. I found two vintage Canadian postcards of little girls from the early 1900's and lots of things every mixed media artist would love.

mi-shi-gən wishcrafting






I had my surgery this week and have learned to use and appreciate my left hand. My right hand has been 'ordered to light duty' until my stitches come out next week, so I'm being a good patient and paying attention to all the "actual" duties our poor hands must endure. Since I'm right hand dominant, this has been a lesson in appreciation for lefties living in a right-handed world. Since I'm officially recuperating and off work, Terry decided to take me on-the-road with her to N.Michigan and Canada for a business trip for a few days. Yippee-- unexpected wishcrafting!


First, let me say, how nice and cozy the rental car Ford Edge is for arting while driving. I have NO idea how the gas mileage, engine size, etc...BUT, I was super impressed w/ how all my supplies fit nicely in the passenger door compartment so I could quickly grab it while I worked on my Sacred Gathering Journal. I had everything I needed for the 4 hour drive. Quite lovely!

Once at the hotel --- after dinner and unpacking. I had the whole next day to catch up on some wandmaking. AND did I. The suite we stayed in had a beautiful sky light that had a desk that became my work space for the few days. For the entire day, I had peace and qiute and nothing but the Michigan sunlight to keep me company as I wanded away. With my right finger all bandaged, I was very careful not to let in any art supplies sneak its way into my stiches - didn't want to have to explain -glitter to my surgeon!




Friday, June 6, 2008

wishcovering


During the past few days I've been exploring wishcovery. The random act of leaving wish tickets for people to find them just at the right place & time that they are needed. Some interesting places this week.

  1. hidden in grocery ailse for someone to find while hunting for rice

  2. tucked in the $3 tip after dinner the other night in Milford


  3. hidden amongst the flora at the garden center...lookey ->


I never know who finds them but somehow I know they get 'found'.

Monday, May 26, 2008

wishword this wkend- 'hedidit!'



I just have to honor, James Knipp for graduating from high school this weekend. James is one of those proud square peg kids in a round whole school and I know how hard it is to make it. His whole family surrounded and congratulated him with heartfelt honors and relief. He's the kind of young man who-just-wanted-to-grow-up-to-fast-and-get-out-into-the-world. His mamas have helped him realize HS and his dream to manifest his wishes of chef hood. He has great talent as a Chef and his vision and tenacity actually landed him a sous chef job at a local highly acclaimed restaurant where 17 year olds just don't the get fame & recognition that landed him with a local foodie advertisement. Any how, his next steps are culinary school - yum- and the other hard knocks of life like, odd jobs, more studying and following your bliss - this time - when it smells and taste good. I made him a special chef hat that says "runs with meat cleaver" - congratulations, James! I can't wait to taste your destiny as it unfolds...and hmmm...be careful with that meat cleaver.

faery gardening


Mortal duties all completed I finally got to play in my faery garden this weekend. I was not aware that the clover and vinca had run amok, and I had to clear the pathways so the dear fae can make it to the faery napping house again this summer. It's a shady little place in the garden surrounded by the sounds of fluttering butterfly wings and a gurgling waterfall. Oh, my, what a mess there would have been should they had got all caught up in the enchanting vines! AND, if the faery feel a bit nappish and they can't get into the napping hut...there could be havoc! Just in time, the sweet flowering thyme & and wandering weeds were cleared away to make room for their weary steps. Shhh...if you see them don't wake them. They really need their beauty sleep.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

wishword for the wkend - anthropology

Okay - flying home from N.C. I was trapped and exposed , not once, but TWICE, to hacking, coughing, sneezing humans. I still made feeble attempts at covering my mouth with my sweater and sending positive energy to my immune system to get ready for all those invading cooties flying around in the recycled filtered air. BUT, alas, it didn't work. I came down, not only with the worst miserable-cold-flu-thing, and, just when I thought I was rounding the corner, I evidentally had more evil germs lying dormant in my upper lungs and now have a wicked respiratory infection and cough that has literally left me speechless. At first, it wasn't so fun, being squeaky and quacky trying to talk. But, I decided, I didn't need to talk and just embraced my temporary loss of speech. I kind of like it. The silence of not talking back, not making comments and conversations for a few days has gently forced me to focus on my thoughts versus my words. I'm becoming quite the pop anthropologist -watching others, keen on body language, realizing how MUCH people really talk without ever saying anything and mostly enjoying walking around putting my hands together in the 'namaste' position to thank people when out in public instead of saying the words. when I do this I seem to get a bigger smile. hmm.....I think this sickly experience has taught me that a variety of thank-you's -not just in words- might just make some some a wishfull day!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Carolina on my mind


North Carolina that is...my niece just graduated from Guilford University on Saturday. To say I was gloriously proud is understating it a bit. Kristie is my second niece to graduate from this beautiful college. I found myself the whole weekend, recalling the past, remembering the little seeds that our family planted, the knowledge we imparted, my most importantly role as Auntie. I had hoped they would benefit from my listening ear, all the maintenance polishing of thier "wings", and the neccessary nudging of their comfort zones when needed. I was also so honored to be in the presence of so many of the graduating class of '08 Peace and Conflict majors IE --peace mongers. There is hope for our world when you look around a campus and feel the energy of 1000 people who spiritually support community, diversity, peace and stewardship. Congrats Krisite~

Sacred Tic-Tac-Toes


Tic Tac Toe Art from the Sacred Gathering
women.
Playing.
Relaxing.
Sharing.
Singing.
Enjoying
their
creative
selves.

wishing tree sprouts in Ohio!

After healthy doses of rain, delicious warm sunshine and a doting Robin, a Wishing Tree has sprouted in our little corner of the world. During the weekend of the Sacred Gathering 2008, women brought forth the Wishing Tree. Meant for manifesting desires, intentions and dreams this tree and all its wishes tied gently around the limbs will weather the days and nights of our passionate acceptance and storms of disappointment. If you're out by Osprey Lane, let Robin know and you too, can write your wishes on a muslin strip and tie it on the wishing tree to blow in the wind of potentiality.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

solitude is so sweet


Sometimes 'getting away from it all' provides us with a fresh perspective of what 'it" really is and what it means to us. This happened to me recently when I ran away to Brown County IN and spent the wkend in a quaint little cottage in the woods. No TV, no Internet, NO digital nothing...I was totally unplugged and tuned IN-ward. Solitude. Sacred time. Quiet time.

While exploring in the woods, I found a neglected old cemetery and was amazed by the tiny moss covered tombstones of long forgotten children and the giant ivy covered stones of their parents. I also discovered dangling grapevine and made an impromptu mini wreath to cast out into the pond for wishmaking. While wrapping the vines, I energetically put my intentions into this wreath of wooden infinity and lovingly tossed it out into the water to float off into the big unknown. When it eventually unfolds and either sinks to bottom or ends up in the shore line slosh, I know magical things will have already begun for me. The gift of solitude, quietness, and self-permission to disconnect from the noise of the world to hear what is really going on was my first step~