Boo, black and white and shiny all over…

Boo, my oh so black black kitty cat,

came to visit in the studio as I sat down to lose myself in doodles today.

It would seem that since I was working in black and white

he thought that his blackness would be of help to me.

The black was inspiring, but the chewing on my pen and the lying down on my page was not.

In spite of Boo’s help,

this little black and white doodle emerged.

As I was doodling, I was listening to Pandora radio.

I was suddenly filled with thoughts of my friend Joe Spado who passed recently.

This favorite song of mine by David Gray came on the radio at that moment.

I wrote a note to Joe on his Facebook page.

I saw that some other friends and family are still writing to him there as well.

He is no longer here in the physical world,

but oh how I could feel his bright spirit shine today.

Sending love and peace out there to you and yours, my friend Joe.

Shine on, Man.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday–That kind of day ?

Ever have days when you want to

pull the covers over your head

and hide out ?

It would seem that silly black cats do as well.

Happy Wednesday from Boo and me, Beautiful Ones!

Haiku My Heart–Time to rise up

 

February’s gone !

Winter’s grip is slackening.

My time to rise up.

 

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

This is how Boo and I feel about winter.

None of us here are sad to see the month of February go !

When I realized the date today,

it made me feel lighter somehow.

Like it is time to shake off the cloak and let the lengthening light warm me into action and into moving forward.

Hope,

I think is what they call it.

And I will take it !

March 1, 2013 – Art Journal Page

“Got to get ourselves back to the garden” – Lyrics from Woodstock, CSNY, 1969

 

May the hope of this new month, new day, new moment bring you

to where you need to be, Beautiful Ones !

Happy Friday !

 

For more haiku and hopeful celebrations, go to recuerda mi corazon.

While the Muse is away…

Meet my new buddy – Mr. Crochet Hook!

Along with my friend Sonia who showed me how to use him,

he is helping me keep from going completely stir crazy this winter,

and also to fill in the blanks while my usual Muse seems to have recently flown the coop.

Has the bitch escaped to Florida with the Snow Birds perhaps ?

Traitor !

Any way, I have been crocheting up a little storm,

now that I have the basic stitches kind of down.

Of course, I am horrible at following patterns and directions so I have been making tons of circles and doily flowery things. I have also made some cuff length strips that I hope to stitch some eucalyptus dyed bits to at some point. Some are even made of natural silk and/or wool yarn and can be thrown in the dye pot too…

David asks what I am going to do with this growing pile of rounds…

I don’t know yet but I do know that making them helps me relax and seeing them in a bunch makes me smile.

Those are good enough reasons to keep at it for now, I guess…

Speaking of things that make me smile.

Every time I walk into the living room and witness this, I smile !

Boo loves his blond doggie and Cheeks is too kind to say no to a kitty cat snuggle!

I hope you find a lot to smile about today, Beautiful Ones !

Big Love !

Consistent Joy…

From this week’s joy list :

My joys this week are some things that have been bringing me joy consistently for a long time now…

#1 is Art Journaling.

I am so glad to have returned to this process.

Free to let whatever comes come,

good, bad, ugly, beautiful,

(A Taste of the Moment – Art journal page – It feels as though the sweet art of my friend Rachel Awes was creeping in on this page)

reconnecting with bits of myself deep inside,

(This is Beneath – Art Journal Page – a bizarre mermaid and her fish friends emerged from some ink blobs on the page)

and documenting moments of my life as I go along…

(Rumi Quote Art Journal Page – This quote stopped me in my tracks last week when I read it. I love this collage and ink page created to honor it.)

 

My #2 Joy to celebrate this week is my love for stitching on bits of hand dyed felt,

always inspired by my time with my Magic friend, e.b., who helped me develop this love !

Winter and life circumstances have kept us apart physically for a bit, but we are still connected through our art, our hearts and our stitches…

(Rock Being homes stitched and ready to travel!)

 

And my #3 joy for this week is Furry Kid Love !

(My black cat Boo, officially named Cosmos, curled in my lap on the couch.)

I remarked to David this morning how it feels like we have a lot of animals in our house these days! We are out numbered by them, 2 humans to 4 pets !

I think it is because I have been spending so much time with them all, as I hibernate the winter away…

They are a real source of comfort and companionship, as well as delight, making me giggle with their silly animal antics !

Love those furry kiddos of mine !

I hope you have some sweet consistent joy in your world today, beautiful Ones !

For more Joy Sharing, visit Meri’s Musings.

Share the Joy–New Landscapes…

From this week’s Joy List…

I won’t lie to you.

My joy list has not been the focus this week very much at all.

Oh, I am trying,

and yes, there are things that made me smile and feel joy

in the midst of a really bad week mood wise.

I am, as always, so grateful for them.

And for this task, every Thursday, of making a joy list,

and realizing

that even when Life seems pretty damn sucky,

there are always moments of joy to savor…

1. My Art – I played with these rusted papers I made last summer all day yesterday.

It would seem that I am creating a book of some kind.

Using Faber Castell pens, a Sakura white paint pen with an extra fine tip,  and Twinkling H2O’s,

I have been discovering all kinds of new landscapes and creatures

in the rusty markings on watercolor paper.

Being with my creative spirit and just letting whatever wants to come emerge

is a kind of peaceful joy that I have so appreciated this week.

2. Friends, furry and otherwise -

When I get stuck in these depressed moods for awhile,

I tend to hide out from my friends.

I feel so ick that I cannot imagine submitting good friends to this version of me I dislike so much.

But sometimes, when I get brave or maybe desperate,

I reach out and call for help.

The understanding of a good friend, or the hug from my patient and loving husband,

or the purr or snuggle of a fur baby,

are all a beautiful source of joy in the midst of dark days.

I hope you find lots of joy to celebrate today, Beautiful Ones !

 

There is more joy appreciation at  Meri’s Musings every Thursday.

Sharing The Joy–A Warrior’s Work

From this week’s Joy List :

In the Queen of Arts Studio this morning…

“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.” – Pema Chodron

The sun through yonder stain glass…

Black and white furry friends…

A crystal ball at work…

Green Buddha and his shadow…

Embroidery floss rainbow…

Cigar boxes full of possibility…

Love all stitched up with some sweet dream herbs inside,

ready to go off to a friend in need…

 

Rejoice, my Beautiful Warrior Friends !

 

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