john legend is soul full

when i'm taken-i can't get enough.....

Grammy-Winning Soul Musician John Legend at UPenn Commencement: "A Commitment to Truth Requires a Commitment to Social Justice"

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the blessing of music

john legend and india arie last night at ravinia... i feel moved to tears as i recall the beautiful visions and the sound of the music of these two talents. both write songs that are from the heart and put them out in their personal styles. 

india reminded me "i am not my hair"and john that we are "ordinary people."

summer... finally

had a wonderful evening simply sitting outside and just be-ing....spent some long overdue time weeding and cleaning the yard during the day , and it was a fine reward. 

it's been a wonderful spring....

watching the many college commencement stories on the news lately has made me especially optimistic and light hearted......at IU for nate's recent graduation(woooooohooo!!!) we got to hear the honorable michael kirby, a retired australian judge of the highest court -who began his affiliation with the school when he became aware of dr. kinseys research years ago. his talk was inspirational and courageous.

it really has been a long four years- i'm sure i learned as much as nathan. so, one down and two to go.

it doesn't matter

                                             india, march 2009

whatever the reasons or stories that i tell myself about why it takes so long to get back here...it doesn't matter, i got back. the dr. suess message ""Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." just seems to fit.

looking back at 2008....

though i often get blue at this point in winter- if i look back over the year, there were some wonderful experiences

*last new year's cruise with family

*time spent in northern wisconsin on burnham lake

*trip to magical morocco

*seeing the dali lama at indiana university

*showing my work at artroplis in chicago and the molloy gallery in california

*riding the maid of the mist again in niagra falls

*wonderous skies, full moons and shooting stars

*workshop at anderson ranch in coloradao

*great concerts -eddie vedder,rem,david byrne, the wailers

*and maybe the best of all, barack obama being elected as president!

i am grateful to be alive.

ready to face the future

when i realized that barack obama was elected to be the next president- i said , "this is one of the happiest days of my life." i then gave deep thought to that statement- and yes, i am sure that it is true! i look forward to travel outside the country and will be proud to say i am from america.

hear my voice....

i have long felt that barack is exactly the leader our country needs...

thank you david byrne...

for the inspiration and evening full of sensory delight. a simply fantastic show and one that had me up and moving.

fall glory and self

the chicago botanic garden is 5 minutes away- and i go through cycles of getting there 3 times a week to once in three months...this is happily a time of frequent visits. the light, color, and texture of this balloon cottonbrush plant held me captive for some time.

working with the "block"

accepting that what's going on could simply be a form of "writer's block" - it has been painful lately feeling something is "wrong " with me.... feels better and i remember the miracle of possibilities when i realize i can simply do my best to continue to "just do it". sure isn't the first time and may not be the last. approaching my work table has been overwhelming- just today, i will try and stay with the 'block" and be ok with it! will even continue the creative exercises suggested.

happiness

"the word happiness would lose it's meaning if it were not balanced by sadness..."

carl jung

this past week has been full with both... from the joy of a sox game( i love a baseball game with my family- especially when the sox are in first place!) to the sadness i felt saying goodbye to nick when i left carbondale's southern illinois university and took that long drive home. alone.

clay workshop in the mountains(wow)

i just spent the last two weeks in the snowmass area of colorado at the anderson ranch taking a clay workshop and it was really just what i needed to re-inspire my spirit and get the juices flowing.....

the area is beautiful, the weather fantastic (no humidity), warm days-cool nights. view from my room

enjoying the mountains

and clay, clay, clay

now i'm trying to hold on to the feeling.....

phot friday- religion

saw matisyahu ( with opening act-my fav- the wailers) who is an orthodox jew that performs reggae/hip hop/beatbox music- and couldn't help but contemplate the many ways one can express their religious feelings. very interesting. so many young men in this particular community seemed to use the music as a connection with culture and religion and identify with the broader popular culture.

why i'm glad i carry my camera....

as i upload some pictures from the last few days- i am thankful for the camera that rattles around the bottom of my purse. it gets quite a workout. as we drove into city to see nate i was taken with the beauty of the sky -both, bright clouds and dark intense storm clouds held the same space.... a lot like nate himself.
i found myself waiting for maya, while she tried on clothes as she gets ready to leave for a month in italy. this is a familiar vantage point- i watch her try on life, hoping for the best. patience is my mantra. (when i remember).

today i took rosie out for lunch. it has been almost a year since she has moved from her house into assisted living arrangements. she seems to be settling in and viewing this as "just the way it is". i am continuing to learn from her. i honor her 97 years of living.

another summer begins

this was the day, 13 years ago -when i hit my bottom. i got sober on the first day of summer in 1995. i realize in general i see things differently now and i am grateful for the shift in my life. not for a moment do i take this for granted. there are still many days when my experiences are so confusing and uncomfortable that i have to work hard at not taking what was a familiar path of action and have a drink to ease(or enhance) the sensation of life.

.

i see the moon...

at the end of the day- it seems like each day is going sooooo fast. when i'm lucky, i spot the sights that slow me down and help me just be.

feast for the senses

life is truly full of incredible sensations (both delightful and painful) i am basking in a few of the delightful ones of the last two weeks. a long weekend in toronto was an opportunity to eat a strawberry snow globe at the four seasons hotel...........

the gardiner museum devoted to ceramic art was fantastic................

the stores and fashionable window designs were spectacular.............

a return trip to see niagra falls, after 48 years was memorable..........

when i returned home, the joy continued with a concert by r e m. i took nate, and had a fun evening with my oldest son. he is curious, bright, funny and a life -loving young man. though he sure does have some issues to work on -just like the rest of us!

i love music and live concerts !!!!!!!!!!

isn't she lovely.....as she turned 16

Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderfull
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely made from love
Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best
Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed
I can't believe what God has done
through us he's given life to one
But isn't she lovely made from love ......
stevie wonder


and then there's the beauty of simple sights- the kitchen sink made a stunning still life scene.
today, everything appears beautiful.

easing back in...

when there's too much to say, i get quite. to ease back in, let me say the waters of the bahamas that i feasted on last week helped with the anxiety/fear/and pain of the oral surgery i had the day after we returned. four days later- i am healing and of course get more lessons in life. while i try and grasp the lessons -i remember the incredible color of the ocean.
i have been trying to process the good fortune, of the recent art show, that i was a part of at the artropolis in chicago. the possibilities i had always imagined, seem to be occurring, and i find myself uncertain and questioning my talent -am i good enough? happily, i am appreciating the situation (most often) and breathing fully and just doing the best i can.....
with the boys home from college and maya's 2nd year of high school coming to an end, i get diverted from my thoughts and self doubts. i am truly enjoying the peace i feel of having them sleeping in their beds at home.

monday mantra

our actions follow our thoughts-

today my thoughts will be conscious and in a positive direction!

moody monday- shadowy

shadowy:
–adjective,
1. resembling a shadow in faintness, slightness, etc.: shadowy outlines. 2. unsubstantial, unreal, or illusory: shadowy preoccupations. 3. abounding in shadow; shady: a shadowy path. 4. enveloped in shadow. 5. casting a shadow.

what i like most about blogging....

a nice thing about having this blog is the ease at "looking back" over time and maybe noticing things that are patterns or provide insight. this morning i went back to april of last year and interesting enough i seemed to be experiencing a similar blue phase- i could have written the same posts and simply changed the date/year! also similar is that i had taken a wonderful trip in march and then found april to be a crash ,slowly coming back to some sense of balance by my birthday in mid april...... while writing this, i just pulled up april 2006 and i am amazed to read 4/7/06 is a post labelled the blues!!!! same scene-early april struggling to to get on track by mid april. nice to know i have and do come out of the blue and find the rose color glasses - to value the differences is another reminder that it's all good.

another thing about blogging that is so great is- i get lost in the possibilities of information- i intend to answer one question and get led to unimaginable questions/thoughts , see visuals, read poets, feel emotions and am amazed by the connections. i read an old comment from last years birthday, by kate ,( whose blog i had forgotten though really enjoyed) and was surprised to see this post on moroccan mail as i went to catch up with her thoughts.... i like entering a door and never really knowing what is on the other side.

as if this wasn't enough, the most moving haiku of nancy. each one i read i send her a thank you. her imagery and life force are a gift.

"far from home"- photo fri

the beauty of morocco- the high atlas mountains. the theme of photo fri is another opportunity to go through the 1080 images i took. it takes my mind off searching for the mysterious foul smell in the kitchen (which is getting worse, and not going away!), my childs anxiety and fear, and my own anxiety and fear. as in the past ,time is my friend and my "funk" does seem to be easing. trying to keep things simple- one breath at a time.

missing the donkeys....

photo friday-"emotions"

feeling connected.....

the treasure chest is full

i am full, i left with one suitcase and returned with two. yes, this is quite a haul -but even better is the full rich memories i now have of glorious morocco. the country was incredibly beautiful- the people, the land, the wisdom. it exceeded my dreams many times over. the walking tour was a fantastic way to travel- walks of approx 2 miles each day found us in remote landscapes /villages that were off the beaten path. as i sift through the 1080 images of this unique country it is impossible to keep myself from smiling and feeling giddy with delight! more to come.....

au revoir

i think about this ring often....i like the aquamarine stone, the unique circle in a square setting, and the fact that it is on the finger of someone i love. it is one of the treasures i can simply think of and feel good. it inspires me with it's beauty. it is important also that i don't own it- it keeps me searching for the qualities i am drawn to. i am reminded of this search as i leave today for morocco. i am searching for treasures- sights, sounds, sensations and yes a few souvoniers from this far away land. i am grateful to travel and relish each step of the journey- from the decision, to the packing craziness (such a wonderful opportunity to examine what i feel i need to be comfortable out of my reality and trust that most of it is not really needed but a fear of sorts)
to the trip itself and all that i discover about life. love to all.

"fuzzy" ....photo friday

this radiant man, the dali lama appears fuzzy- yet he was most clear as he communicated his message on compassion as the source of peace, at indiana university last fall. i was fortunate to take nate since he is attending school there. though our seats where far from the stage- his joyful energy reached us easily. i still reflect on the event often, and use it to remind myself of the value of drawing on my compassion when i am suffering. when i feel it for myself i can feel it for everyone with less effort.

photo friday-"what is that?"

for some reason i kept this shot of a sculpture-chair-thingie that was the focus of a small garden outside a home in chicago. it peaked my curiosity- it is a lounge chair on metal legs with leafy appendages coming out of the back.....i remember thinking "what is that?"

travel high

i'm deep in acquainting myself with the possibilities of what morocco could be. watching films, finding the art community, reading native authors, becoming intoxicated with the colors-patterns-and design. though it will be just 10 days...it will allow me to experience the unfamiliar and open my mind to another reality. this "pre-trip" is a favorite time, my imagination takes off and it seems like i am more able to absorb cultural aspects of far off places.