Right Work

Work makes me happy.This is what I and my clients see when we look out the Massage Room window!  In a few weeks, this persimmon tree fills with fat robins, woodpeckers, starlings, finches, and Cedar Waxwings... all gorging on the soupy sweet fruit.  This does make it difficult to concentrate on the work at hand, but, oh well.  

This painting is leaning up against the closet in my little studio.  I 'finished' it a couple of weeks ago, along with another one inspired by 'Nazca Lines.'    It really needs more space!!!

This greeted me this morning when I opened the door to my studio:  Bathed in the golden thick, almost winter light, they vibrate with their own energy.  They startled me.  Wow, I thought, who has been in here?

Yes, work must bring me income, as I am about as far as one can get from being independently wealthy (and in light of world-economics, I am wealthy).  I have come to a point in life where I realize that every moment is "my work."  Every moment is why I am here, on this planet, in this chair.  Just a moment ago I stood at the back gate, with a warm, brown egg in my hand, the sky over my head a pale, wispy blue, the maple tree bare, the sun in my hair warm.  Solstice approaches and we have two full moons this month.  

Blessed Be.

xoxoLC

Brazen

When the eye wakes up to see again, it suddenly stops taking anything for granted.  

Frederick Franck
Any day now, I will pass by these walnut trees, and they will be bare; for now they contribute to the thick, yellow light that fills the valley.
Today was filled with hope and enthusiasm.  Most likely yesterday was as well, don't you suppose?  Was.  What brings it down?  Was.  How does a certain grouping of words, with a certain tone of voice, and a certain frown, empty my day?  Was.

From "The Zen of Seeing," by Frederick Franck (1973):

The ninth-century Irish mystic John Erigena, for instance, knew that "Every visible and invisible creature is an appearance of God.  ...seventeenth century Angelus Silesius rhymed:

"In good time we shall see

God and his light, you say.

Fool you shall never see

What you do not see today!"

And Meister Eckhart in thirteenth-century Europe said:  "The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me."

Was.  Change the 'tense;' grab the breath for all I am worth, notice!  Take note of the inhale, the turn, the exhale.  In this moment... all is well.

I love bright colors.  Bright yellow, or red, or orange, oh yes; the warm colors!  My little mother used to say, "Brazen!" of my color choices, of my word choices.  Right now, I feel the corners of my mouth curving into a smile at the sound of her verdict in my ear.  Just look at those brazen pomegranates, the yellow walnut leaves, and tomorrow the persimmons!  Oh we do love these colors (she did too, her fuchsia-house filled to over-flowing with bright color)!

Franck's book is written in long-hand with delicate and powerful line drawings.  He suggests that we gather ourselves together and crawl into this moment... and in this moment, simply notice. Right now, take nothing for granted.  I suppose this is a definition of Meditation.  I find that in holding this concept lightly, I have already started to feel better.  I notice that the yellow finds its way into my whirling thoughts of injustice, betrayal, (blah blah blah!), and I am calm. Outside  the window a few moments ago, I watched wave after wave of robins headed south. Now the sky holds remnants of this colorful day, bats are doing aerial acrobatics(!), stars are blinking into night.

Yeah!  I love brazen!

xoxoLC

Pomegranates and Pups

These are without a doubt, the most beautiful fruit.  Well, one of the most beautiful."Like Water for Chocolate," a movie from a thousand years or so ago, had a scene where the young woman was cooking for her lover.  She used pomegranates, which she opened and seeded, as a garnish for a dish,  If I am remembering correctly, she got a little carried away.  Oh my, that whole movie transported me... I just loved the excess of it all.  Which reminds me, I must remind you... It's Sagittarius Time!  So, if you know one of us: Get your spiritual compass set on auto-pilot (aimed for the high ground), and invite her to many, interesting parties.  Mexico, Argentina, France, Spain, Whidbey Island or Victoria BC, any little place will do. 
Isn't it amazing?  They just hang there, looking like this!

All photos of Emerson now have a motion-inspired blur to them.  He tends to have to speak his mind vehemently when told what to do.  While this is kind of cute now, I keep imagining an 80lb Labrador talking back to me.  Let us cross that bridge when we get to it.
To the left you see the spotted Luna-nose.  I must confess:  Emerson really does his commands pretty well.  He is learning to wait for me to go through the door first.  He waits for his food bowl.  He is doing "leave it" now and then, though not consistently.  He is learning "blanket," and does this one really well when he is NOT hungry.  His 'sit' and 'wait' are becoming stronger every day.  The only time he gets grumpy is when he cannot do what he wants, and I kid you not, he carries on quite vocally!

Now, besides painting and writing, I must (MUST) get going on doing yoga and walking and taking my supplements, and riding my bicycle and swimming, and whatever else I can dream up to move this body around quicker,  with more agility and grace.  This is my newest determination, and it goes well with a pup and Luna, both of whom thrive in the outdoors and love to do all of the above (perfect downward dogs!).

Here I go!  In the morning.

xooxoxoxoLC

Patchwork

Didn't you say to go this way?  Do you have the address?  Niko!  Say something!

Well, maybe we should have turned that way.  Peg!  Leave the hat!  Next time, I read the map. Maybe Leslie will let us use the GPS next time.  Oh Niko.  Cheer up, we'll be home for treats.

Yes.  Growing.  I am thinking he might get a little bit bigger.

Snraaarrppphhh.  Grrrrooooooooowwwwwwwwllllllll.   Yelp!  Rrrrrrrrrrrrooooowwwwwffff!

At dusk I went out to pick greens.  There was enough light left to be able to see who was what, and I harvested Arugula, young Borage, Chard, three good sized tomatoes (!), and found three more beautiful, Sweet Meat Squash.  So, in the oven is a squash cut in quarters, baking at 4oo. The house filling with aromatic, yummy scents.  The greens could be a bouquet, but unmercifully, I am putting them into a salad.

While I was moseying around I could hear the hens pushing and shoving and clucking for the best roosting place.  Is it possible that there is only one best place?  One pretty brown egg a day must mean you get the best place, right?

The fig tree is looking droopy.  The frost has touched it, and it just quivers its leaves off. Tomorrow will be the Day of Falling Fig Leaves.  Maybe tonight if the wind comes up like it has for the past few nights.

Dogs.  Good dogs and bad dogs.  Dogs that sleep so cuddly on my bed (a mid-afternoon nap today!).  Dogs that sound like horror-movie monsters, well, make that one dog:  Luna has developed the most nasty sounding growlsnarf I've ever heard.  It is a sound especially designed to communicate with blockhead puppies, one Emerson in particular.  Seriously, it amazes me he still has a face.

Emerson chewed completely through the cord to the fan, fortunately unplugged.  He spit out little pieces of cord.  Imagine the Christmas Tree lights.  Oh, yes.  He and I are going to puppy class, he has already initiated the facility with a gallon-pee.  We are busy doing our 'homework,' which is such good reminder to all-ways be aware with what we say and do with the dogs!

Yes.  Life is fun.  And I am very grateful, filled-up.

I love you!

xoxoLC 

What A Day! Again!

We can't take any credit for our talents.  It's how we use them that counts.   Madeleine L'Engle

In the face of this rioting season of color, harvest, and turbulant storms, I have been facing a couple of old hauntings:  heartbreak and betrayal.  A new twist in the opportunities and probabilities of healing, releasing, accepting life as new, beautiful, full, rich.  

Out my window a heavy-lidded moon holds high-watch.  

Rilke says, There is only one journey.  Going inside yourself.  Sometimes I say, Nooooooo!  Anything but that!

Today was a day of heavy rain, of the sun breaking through, of rainbows and piles of clouds. Persimmons are hanging on trees that are dropping their bright orange leaves to the ground.  It is all so beautiful, even the process of early evening darkness quieting the rash colors.

There is nothing to fear.  

xoxoLC

Miracle Day

An Autumn day holds many wonders

California Buck Eye

I do not know who this was, or how they got here.

If I get hungry this winter, I know exactly where to go for an acorn.

A well-stocked larder is comforting.

As the sky lowers, my need for a cup of coffee rises exponentially.  It is quiet except for the sound of yellow leaves falling, robins discussing the ripening Toyon Berries, and strains of Classical music.

Dogs are asleep.

Emerson the pup ran in mud and jumped in the lake.  He really looks like a little pig.  I am serious.

I love days like this.

xoxoLC

Evolving

Gosh, I have neglected my blog!  November has swept me up in a complete flurry of creative energy.  In a big way I am loving it.  In another it feels like I am "goofing off!"  

I sold a small painting.  It feels big.

Writing has been stop and go, though it runs in my mind constantly.

I am writing from family photos.  It feels like I am "telling...," something that was much looked down upon in our family.  What I understand now, from this perspective of being "grown up!" is that it is all "story."  A shared experience is individualized, personalized, when one writes it down.  Period.

Today I am feeling like I hit a rather impressive brick wall with my painting.  Makes me laugh. A painting is rather like a puppy as it morphs and galumphs toward its mysterious resolution.

Walking in the dusk, with wild geese honking across the river, it occurred to me that all I have to do is to follow my instinct with the painting.  Allowing an abstract image to materialize is an exercise in "allowing;" letting form evolve, releasing control...aahhh, hahahah!  Today I applied a large area of color, stood back and yelled!  It was awful!!  Working on large paintings in a small room literally puts my nose in it!  

In a bit I am hauling the dry one out into the living room for some distance-viewing!  We shall see.  Wish me luck!

xoxoLC