You are sooo beautiful, to meeeeeeeeee

A verse from Living the Wisdom of the Tao, but first; that which delights me daily as well!Iffus is my name, and NO one else in the whole wide world has my name!
Laugh, and the world laughs with us!
Every other one, starting from the left, is my daughter!  

I love looking at my daughters and nieces and granddaughters!  Of course I love being in their presence, and looking at photos (these from last weekend's baby shower for the one in pink!). I see the familial resemblences which just make me giggle.  Yes, all you gorgeous women and girls, I love you like breath and light and Life!  All ways, every moment!

Here is what got me going this morning:

41st Verse

A great scholar hears of the Tao

and begins diligent practice.

A middling scholar hears of the Tao

and retains some and loses some.

An inferior scholar hears of the Tao

and roars with ridicule.

Without that laugh, it would not be the Tao.

So there are constructive sayings on this:

The way of illumination seems dark,

going forward seems like retreat,

the easy way seems hard,

true power seems weak,

true purity seems tarnished,

true clarity seems obscure,

the greatest art seems unsophisticated,

the greatest love seems indifferent,

the greatest wisdom seems childish.

The Tao is hidden and nameless;

the Tao alone nourishes and brings everything to fulfillment.

This was especially meaningful to me this morning in that I stumble now and then (ha!) into the abyss of doubt.  Oh Confessions!  Why do I even attempt writing, or submitting my writing to esteemed journals of fabulous poetry and prose?  WhyOwhy bother?  And that stuff I call painting???  Why do that?  Why not go out and do something constructive, that earns if not praise, at least lots of money?

Look at those radient, beautiful faces.  Look at the brown eyes, the wide smiles, the lost teeth. Look  at the Intelligent Life and Love emanating from each one.  Would I doubt any one of these Incredible Spirits?  No.  The answer is no, never, nada, nope.

So this morning in recognising that I indeed go forward even though it seems as though I am in reverse, I can relax and know that Lao Tzu mentions that "the greatest art seems unsophisticated"and it is said just to me.  Just me.  Right Now.

Blessings on this day.

I love you.

xoxoLC

Elderberry mumblings

Elderberries in OctoberTrying my fingers out this morning:  It is cold in here.  I was up late last night with a restless dog suffering from a stomach ache, and I wonder why is it that they(dogs) do not have "Stop eating, now" programmed into their little walnut-sized brains?  Of course, who am I to even ask that question?  Hee hee hee.  We purchased a new kind of dog food to help Ms. Luna recover from belly rash, and at some point I believe that she got into the bag and helped herself.  Probably when we were watching Game 4, and all those Philly home runs, this being the first time since I was in high school that I have watched The World Series.  Hmmm.  I am ready for a new batch of commercials, was the first night, actually.  "Drinkability."  A new beer-related word, made up for the brilliant audience (noticing that I just insulted myself, or did they?)  Really.  The good news:  I now know how to press "mute" with delightful results.

I am considering writing 2000 words a day, for the month of November.  Having never set such an outrageous course for myself, I am finding it nearly impossible to do.  Today, that is. I am practicing to see if I can really do it, and maybe save some words up to use on the day that I can't type or think.  For Heaven's Sake, I do have a Life to pay attention to, is a picture really worth a thousand words?  Ha!  In that case I may download another, and I would be there already.  

It is an honorable thing to do, bringing discipline to my life.  People have reassured me, "Oh, don't worry, you are an Artist!"  Or, "You are what is known as a "Creative""  A creative what???  I want to shout in frustration.  I have been known to whine, "You don't know what it is like, being me, living in this freckled nervous wreck."

So, I am writing.  Then going for a walk and then going to work.  And today is a "cleanse day" so there is no chance that I will stick my head into a bag and eat too much.

Oh, and the Elderberries!  Aren't they gorgeous?  The tree was so full the branches hung to the ground.

xoxoLC

My favorite squeeze, well, one of them

My country tis of thee, sweet land of libertyIt could be interesting to sit down, salon-style, to discuss the issues on the ballot.  The opinions and advertisements shown on TV overshadow the ballot completely, as of course, an advertisement will not give accurate information by any stretch of the imagination.  

I read a blog recently, yesterday to be exact, which talked a bit about families gathering to eat together, out of big bowls.  I also have read "The Alice B. Toklas' Cookbook" which has  the most fattening recipes known to woman, and having tried a couple of them, very delicious, but that is not the point.  The point is, that Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas had gatherings at their home(s) to read poetry to one another, to read chapters of books-in-progress, to discuss political stuff.  They were ex-patriots, living in France, renting amazing places, nearly starving because they were not born there yet surviving by sharing with neighbors, and when I was in Paris I stood at the gate to their house, on their street.  Awed, because after reading books it always amazes me to see, rather, stand in or on the place about which I have read. 

One October I stood at the feet of the Statue of Liberty, climbed into her carrying my First Granddaughter (daughter of my First Daughter) in her fantastic baby carrier.  The Statue of Liberty is awesome.  Read about her!  I believe she is from France, too.  We ate apples so crisp they popped when bitten, spraying juice over anyone near.  Golly, that was 10 years ago.

I am sewing napkins for a silent auction.  They have evolved into bright colors with a little black Scotty dog sewed on the back like a signature.  No one will know I made them, because of course, I put Dalmations and Labradors on everything.  They are cool though.  And while I am pressing the edges, snipping threads and sewing, I think.  And think.  And think.  This is where this idea of discussing the ballot came in. 

The radio voice seeped into my consciousness, like the yellow October light washing over every leaf, and the ravens discussing in raspy voices, "...capitalism has an interesting relationship with democracy..."   

Really!

xoxoLC  

an update of sorts

Wwwwyyyyyyyyyyyynnnnnnnnnnnnneee!  Oh Pleeeeeeezzzzze, let me owt for just a bit!This is what she is yearning to desturb:  Miss Kitty, having never been chased by Luna, and Rebekah, shelling Neighbor Beans.
Mary Of Utmost Concentration:  These are really pretty, Nonnie!
Which is so true!  We are a little mystified by the brown ones, as supposedly the Neighbor Beans are always speckled.  It has been hot and dry, would that affect their colors?
This is how to never give up:  Just point in the right direction, and good things all-ways do happen.  Another dog principle which pans out repeatedly.
Miss Kitty is going to her new home on Tuesday morning.  She has gained weight, is unique and pretty in a patchwork sort of way, is friendly-up-to-a-point including loving to purr and enjoying sitting in laps.  She is not crazy about little people, having bitten Mary over a small disagreement.  Rebekah seems big enough to not have to put up with this characteristic.  Miss Kitty is not afraid of dogs, at all.

Looking forward to a peaceful week, wishing you all well and blessing all the rain headed this way!

xoxoLC

Looking for a home, just looking for a home

We are calling her Miss Kitty.  She is tame, and looks like the hillsides all covered in fall colors.Sorry about the fuzzy photo.  I think I was going too fast.
She showed up.  She has been roared at by Tobi in the back yard.  She has been over at Sandy's, actually, she prefurrrs it over there, as there is a nifty cat-door, a nice place for a nap and upsetting the queens over there... and no big, woofing dogs.

I have been feeding her.  Her coat is healthy, she is tame and obviously has been an indoor cat as she marches right in.  She likes tuna, being stroked, and sitting in laps.  She appears to be young, maybe 10 mos?

Not much to say.  Makes me sad that people abandon their pets.  Makes me sad in that I do not know the whole story, maybe that is the best they can do.  I will feed her until we find her a home.

xoxoLC

my favorite tree, today

California Buck EyeI love these trees.  They are kind of the opposite of a Redwood Tree, in that they are short and rather squat, they shed their leaves very early, always way before any of the other trees.  Of course, they bud and throw out leaves very early, signalling spring far before any other tree has even considered having a leaf.  And since their leaves are so early it is usually still the rainy season, and they remind me of umbrellas.  A clever tree.  This year it didn't use its rain gear.

This Buck Eye is absolutely bare.  I have noticed that they do not have many Buck Eyes on them either.  Usually this particular tree is loaded.  Maybe drought conditions have influenced the tree.  Maybe it is sending roots deeper into the mountain soil.  I love the silver branches and the shape of it.  If I were more patient, I would draw it.  Thank God for cameras.

A poem took me by surprise this fall morning.  It is called  "Ox Cart Man" by Donald Hall.

In October of the year,

he counts potatoes dug from the brown field,

counting the seed, counting

the cellar's portion out,

and bags the rest on the cart's floor.

He packs wool sheared in April, honey

in combs, linen, leather

tanned from deerhide,

and vinegar in a barrel

hooped by hand at the forge's fire.

He walks by his ox's head, ten days

to Portsmouth Market, and sells potatoes,

and the bag that carried potatoes,

flaxseed, birch brooms, maple sugar, goose

feathers, yarn.

When the cart is empty he sells the cart.

When the cart is sold he sells the ox,

harness and yoke, and walks

home, his pockets heavy

with the year's coin for salt and taxes,

and at home by fire's light in November cold

stitches new harness

for next year's ox in the barn,

and carves the yoke, and saws planks

building the cart again.

Last night I listened to the Presidential Debate.  A question was asked of the canidates: "When you are President, what sacrifices are you going to ask of us?"  Neither candidate answered the question.  Neither canidate was comfortable, I guess, with asking for help.  And that is exactly what is needed.  Making adjustments in our consuming lifestyles could be done voluntarily, willingly!  Canidates!  Make a list!  Americans are intelligent, creative, and willing to do what is needed. 

A President won't be able to build the cart again, alone.  They need us.

xoxoLC

we're goin' to the lake

...on the way home.  rats.

xoxoLC