SURRENDER

Today is a day that I seem to be surrounded by people with their own agenda.  Duh. That's what we humans do.  But I am trying to paint a new art storage unit robins egg blue.  I can't get the color right!  This is my thing, this is what I do!!  And every color I come up with seems too, too.

I must mention that this cabinet, 90 inches long, 1/3 map cabinet for my art papers, is being built by my dear husband, upon my request.  I definitely don't want to mess it up!

I surrender to my daily readings and pick up The BOOK of AWAKENING, written by Mark Nepo, and a gift from one of my dear co-moms, Jean, in Colorado.

I read, "The bud in half bloom
              outwaits the cloud."

Humm.  Deep breaths.  Go outside and cloudwatch.  Aha!

"...no cloud lasts forever."

Namaste.

ART

Since I am still experimenting with all kinds of women in paint, collage etc, I was looking at my book: 365 Goddesses by Patricia Telesco this morning and read the page for today.

The Gratiae
Themes: art, creativity, honor, love, excellence and beauty.

"The gratiaes are akin to the Greek Graces who inspire all arts."
"They arrive as earth is blossoming to encourage a flood of creativity."
They "were present in spirit on this day in 1916 when the American Academy of Arts Charter was signed by Woodrow Wilson to honor excellence in the industry."

Take a sip of wine, make something beautiful, do a dance.  I will.

Namaste

SURRENDER

This morning I read SHARECARE, an email that comes in from time to time and I often erase without reading.  Today I was moved to read it.  It basically says that our jobs, homes, etc are not really what bring us joy-but the little things that keep our mind and our hands busy.

Looking back, this has saved me in times of confusion and often even despair.  In the early eighties, when my marriage was breaking up, an opportunity came along to coach girls softball.  I found such happiness being outdoors with all that positive female energy!

Not long after, I went back to college to finish my art degree.  It was often so exhausting that I had to set an alarm at 3 am, to study for exams and then go back to sleep for a bit.  I had fun, busy kiddoes to take care of, a job as an interior designer, but it worked and in hind sight, it kept me sane.  Almost!

Even my many summers with the park service put me in a glorious place to play in my time off.  Trails to walk, mountains to explore, estate sales to attend with dear friends.

I see clearly that my mind, my hands and my heart must be engaged to be fully and joyfully me.

Namaste.

BONJOUR

Another fun weekend in Sarah Schuffler's garden. 

 Annette and I visited with old friends and new.

 I took a page from my good friend Dusty of The Cajun Picasso's advice book and made some small "festival type art" and it sold great. The bigs and the littles!

 

There is nothing like unloading only half of what one brings to a art show, after you get home.  Feels like more artmaking!!

Namaste.

SURRENDER

Yesterday I returned home from a three day woman's retreat near the Louisiana coastline.  I learned a lot about surrender.  The crabs weren't biting, but neither were the mosquitoes.  We were under a wind alert and finally the lights went off.  We shared wonderful food and stories and played games on the big screened in porch over the water.  And we slept.

I came home wanting to cook in my own kitchen again.  I saw a recipe on line and decided to try it out.  I browned four chicken thighs in olive oil to which I added a teaspoon of sugar, my Nanny's secret. As I turned the chicken, I seasoned both sides with no-salt Greek seasoning and cayenne pepper.

After the chicken was golden brown I added 1/4 cup of white vinegar because I didn't have the red wine vinegar that the original recipe called for.  Since some of my family is allergic to onions, I added a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chili peppers which makes a great substitute for onion.  I then stirred and simmered until the chicken was done.  I added a tablespoon of Tony Chachere's Creole brown gravy mix which thickened the gravy to Cajun requirements.

We ate it over rice and my honey said that he hadn't had such good chicken SAUCE PICANTE since the 1970s at his Uncle Mim's house. I didn't know I could make sauce piqante.  That man knows how to keep me cooking!

If I win the Lottery, will I hire a cook???

Namaste.

JOY

There's no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.  By being happy we sow anonymous benefit upon the world-Robert Louis  Stevenson

We had a lovely Easter weekend with family.  It included antique sales, plant purchasing and of course lots of eating!

My favorite part was seeing Ben and Amy's twins eating the yummy feast.  Astrid picked up chunks of my Momma's potato salad and chewed on them.  Gunnar loved Nanna Kim's rice dressing and as he shoved it into his mouth with his hands, his brother Malachi called him "a Cajun."

That reminds me of our Ross-man as a young child saying, "I'm a Cajun boy."  I loved hearing that!

This week I re-enter my studio rested and inspired.  It's time to make art again.

And I am grateful.
Namaste.