So Many Gifts...

 

 

Three days until my birthday...

 

The birth festival is in full swing !

 

I have already received so many gifts !

 

 

(Roman Glass Necklace - a precious gift created by my dear friend Donna Yarger)

 

 

 

I am filled with gratitude and joy !

 

 

 

(Crystal Singing Bowl - a gift from my dear friend, Linda E.)

 

I feel so very LOVED !

 

I had a little art tribe gathering at Art More Place hosted by my amazingly generous friend, Sherri, over the weekend. 

 

I wasn't feeling so hot last week, with perimenopausal nightmarish symptoms and anxiety on high alert.

 

But the healing, loving, playful time with my friends has made things so much easier.

 

Though some of the symptoms linger, I have new tools to hold on to, and new thoughts to think as I go through them, thanks to my amazing women friends !

 

 

I am surrounding myself with my all the sweet gifties I received and soaking it all it.

 

Check out how beautiful my lanai looks this morning with my treasures displayed !

 

 

 

 

 

I am finding the words "Thank you!" inadequate to express how grateful I am to my loving, generous, supportive and accepting friends.

 

But I am saying them over and over, and sending them out in big puffs of love from my filled up heart !

 

Thank you, my friends ! Love you so much !

 

Removing Obstacles, Ready for Fun !

Things have been a bit messy in the studio since my Mom left last week.

Not that Pumpkin cares.

She just lies down on top of the piles and settles in to keep me company.

There have been Rock My World orders to fulfill.

And fun stitching swap bits to stitch on.

Now it’s time to tidy things up a bit.

Ganesh emerged from a box of treasures

just in time to help me remove some obstacles.

My dear old friend Tracy,

who I have know since I was 8 years old,

and her man, Craig,

are coming to spend a few days with us.

They arrive tomorrow and David has a few days off too.

On the agenda ?

A Dolphin/Manatee watch cruise, good food, some cocktails, the beach, and lots of love and laughter!

Bring it on !

Happy Wednesday, Beautiful Ones !

Doggie Couch Chat

Patine asks "Chica, can I play with your brand new stuffed Bat squeaker?"

Chica thinks "If I ignore her and pretend she's not here, on my sofa, chewing on my brand new stuffed Bat squeaker, maybe she will disappear."

"Why is Chica ignoring me? I have spent the whole week chewing on her neck, trying to hump her, and am even willing to break in her brand new stuffed Bat squeaker for her! Doesn't that make us BFFs?" asked Patine.

"Chew on it, Pipsqueak. I need a nap! "

"Will do, Bestie! Can't wait until spring break when I come back for another visit!"

"Kill me now!"

**********************

Suzanne and Patine were fun guests here at the Yellow House on Orange Street this week. I am sure Chica and the cats agree !

Happy weekend and safe travels home for my friends!

Last minute gift ideas…

 

Last minute gift ideas…

 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

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all you you a beautiful and peaceful

Christmas time.

May your hearts be light and full of love.

Thank you for all the joy you bring to my world.

Big Love !

Haiku My Heart–A Haiku for Joe

A Haiku for Joe

A weaver of tales

He made deep marks on this world

With his heart story.

Man of Peace, my Friend,

Now makes his journey onward

Flies on wings of love.

 

My friend, Joe Spado, died on Monday, December 2nd, 2013.

We connected through Haiku My Heart, lovingly hosted each Friday by Rebecca of recuerda mi corazon.

We never met in person but I know him by heart.

A beautiful work of art by him hangs in my bedroom window, catching dreams and shining with love and care.

I feel as though I have a new guardian spirit hovering in that gentle space beyond.

I know your new travels on the wind will be gentle and peaceful, Man.

I am sending love and comfort to the hearts of those you have left on this side.

Thanks for what your Beautiful Spirit brought to my world.

Love & Peace, Man.

xo

Life is magical...

I was in the first place I truly learned the meaning of natural beauty as a child,

spending time in my wooden tent  on the Lake,with some people I love dearly, and getting ready to spend a few days alone enjoying the pace of nature...

when I received a call from a dear friend in need. Suzanne was facing letting her 10 year old Old English sheepdog, Sam,  go, as his body was no longer able to contain his special spirit and he was in a lot of pain.

                                

Suzanne was blessed to find a veternarian who came to the house to help pet parents and the animals themselves through this part of life's journey.

So this amazing dog, who has attended kindergarten everyday with  teacher Suzanne and brought incredible joy and love to so many, was surrounded by love and friends as he took his last breaths here.

I feel so grateful that I was just 2 hours away and could make the drive to be here for my friend. Life sure works in magical ways...

So today, I head back up north for some more family time, a visit to Miss Katie and Thomas before their new school year starts, and back to the lake to soak in the last days of August 2013.

             

Feeling loved, blessed and grateful today.

I hope your week starts off with those kind of feelings too, Beautiful Ones ! 

Big Love !

Felt play date at the Lake House

This

became this 

became this

and finally this 

today at my play day with my dear friend Suzanne. 

These cute felt beings will dry over night and be arty fun pieces that will remind us of how much good stuff we accomplish when we play well together! :) 

Love you, Suzie! 

Thanks for today! 

(Mine is the turquoise pear shaped one with rocks on the belly. More pics later when it's dry and there's daylight.)

Haiku My Heart–Marks on the Map

Document your path.

Hills, valleys, monsters, angels.

Marks on your Heart’s map.

Tea stains, doodling and a little watercolor

have been brings more maps into my art work.

Makes a lot of sense as I try and find firmer footing on my path again.

Along with the comfort, clarity and freedom I get from creative time,

I am also so grateful for the good loving of dear peeps in my world.

They are what makes the path worth every bump.

 

Today, I am wearing purple in support of my friend, Melissa who is coping with one heck of an obstacle in her path. Melissa has lupus and bravely faces the physical, emotional and financial challenges of this horrible disease every day.

Today is Put on Purple for Lupus Awareness Day. To show your support, put on some purple and visit Lupus.org.

 

“We're all just walking each other home.” ― Ram Dass

 

For more Haiku Love, visit Rebecca and the gang at recuerda mi corazon

Haiku My Heart–Big Pink Moon

Pink Full Moon brings change.

May it be soft and subtle

On our tender hearts.

 

***************

This week flew by and here we are at Friday.

I am having a bit of a hard time digging my roots back into the usual routine after spending such an intense and precious time with my Mom.

I am looking for purpose and meaning in everyday things. I am also trying to find balance my need to take care of and nurture myself, and offer love and support to others….

 

Oh, SHIT!!!

Maybe I am just spending way too much time thinking and reflecting,

and far too little playing and living and soaking it all in.

Well, I am going to fix that !

The weekend will be spent getting some stuff organized,

and spending some sweet time with my Honey.

And then, I am headed north again,

but this time only as far as Charlotte, VT.

Oh, yeah!

I need me an  e.b. fix BIG TIME!

Creating, tea, wine, celebrating, dancing, looking, nature, nurture, Love !!!!

I am on my way, Magic Maker !

Bring it on,  Big Pink Moon, bring it on !

 

*********************

Happy Friday, Beautiful Ones !

May the Pink Moon be sweet to you.

 

For more haiku loveliness, head over to recuerda mi corazon.

Share the Joy–Showing the way…

From this week’s Joy List :

I learned a new word recently.

The word is

wayshower.

I learned the word from my friend Kriss,

who has gathered some wayshower friends together

to inspire us to live a more heart-centered life.

Her project is called The Visionary Heart.

Kriss called me a wayshower.

I sat with that for awhile and the word just really fit for me.

We are all in different places on this journey of being whole, happy, really alive.

I have discovered something that really feels true for me.

And that is that “Love is the answer to every question.”

Having found how this truth makes my own life richer, real-er, and really worth living,

I have also discovered how much I want to share this truth for others on the path that need it.

And my strongest voice is in my art, my writing here, and my own attempts to live a life where love is the focus, and sharing what that is like.

So yes, I think I am a wayshower.

And in accepting that, I have also become aware of how many other shiny-hearted people in my world are wayshowers for me !

This deeper level connection, knowing and providing for one another at the heart level, is a great source for joy in my life.

Let’s lovingly show each other the way !

*******************

 

Kriss Bouchard is a beautiful friend who I met here in NH, but who now lives in California. She contacted me recently to do an interview for The Visionary Heart website about art, healing and heart-centered living. The interview can be found here . Thanks for making me feel so shiny, Lovely One !

 

For more joy sharing hosted by another wayshower I know and love, visit Meri at Meri’s Musings.

Share the Joy–Let It In…

From this Week’s Joy List :

This is me looking joyful and loved.

That is how my friends make me feel.

Yesterday, I reached out to a few and was vulnerable, and let them know I was in need.

In need of some loving, some assurance, some support.

And I received that from my friends in such an abundance that I went to sleep last night feeling very loved and very grateful..

And that is the greatest joy.

 

“The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, I have really good days.” Ray Wylie Hubbard

 

It made a difference in how I felt waking up this morning too.

Today I feel lighter, more hopeful and maybe, just maybe,

I won’t be quite so hard on myself today.

And that should leave a lot more space for joy to come !

*****************

And while I have been complaining that my Muse has abandoned me for warmer climes,

I guess she took time out from her vacation to make an emergency visit back to me.

This is the journal page I sat down and let pour out of me in the gloom of yesterday’s rainy/snowy/grey afternoon.

Stencils, spray inks, Twinkling H2Os, Faber Castell pens, and one important collage piece from an old dictionary and this page was born.

I am feeling my “small particle of fire”.

And that brings this Artist Girl joy !!!

 

I hope you are opened up to love and joy today, Beautiful Ones.

It sure is good for what ails you !

Happy Thursday !

For more joy sharing, visit the amazing Meri at Meri’s Musings.

Haiku My Heart–Whole Joy

 

My joy was shattered.

Friends came and showed me such love.

Joy is whole again !

 

 

**************

I so loved all the responses to my shattered joy yesterday !

So many amazing peeps who got what it meant to me when that poor “O” bit the dust !

And so many loving comments about how I am connected to them through the joy I try and share here. That touched me deeply.

Also, some creative people with great suggestions about what I could put in place of my broken letter.

I loved bacon’s idea of a sunshine ! And Mary was right, Hobby Lobby was the first place that came to mind to go looking for a replacement.

And that’s where I found what worked for me !

This perfect light turquoise round wooden mirror in just the right size!

It makes a perfect new “O” !

This morning, with all that blog love,

with the help of my sweet David,

JOY is securely in place !

 

Thank you, my beautiful Friends !

I hope you know how much you mean to me and how much I treasure the connections we make here in Blogland and beyond.

Sending Big, Big Love !

 

For more haiku and more love, head over to recuerda mi corazon.