What a week it’s been! Hit after hit – whethercelebritydeaths, or natural disaster…it’s felt like there’s hardly time to take a breath. In reality, of course, these things are happening fairly frequently. Just, perhaps, in a smaller theatre. People, families, communities devastated, and we may not hear about it.
We pray for those affected. We give where we can. And we hold our loved ones close, and look to our communities.
Maybe next week will be quiet. The future, and the abilityto dealwith it, is still to come.
Even though there may be clouds…
…the sun will still rise.
❤
People still collaborate to make beautiful things.
…and, because I keep seeing that Dolly Parton was not political…
Possibly late last night – the official US date was 25/8. The first thing I saw when I checked my phone this morning was an outpouring of tributes and grief. A shock, and a sadness. But also, gratitude. Dolly was one of those people who seem to sparkle through the world. I’ve heard her songs throughout my life – my first album (that was bought with my own money) was a country compilation tape. Of course, she was on it – and provided one of my favourites to the mix.
The music was enough to ensure her place in our hearts. But she was also a beautiful person – someone who just seemed to love people, and looked like she enjoyed spending time with, and getting to know, people from all walks of life. She was unashamedly herself, and wanted to help others to be their sparkling selves as well. She used what she had to enrich and inspire others, and was passionate about providing education to those who might not otherwise have access to it.
Most of us have probably heard one of her songs, even if we don’t know it.
She sang to us for decades, all over the world – even in a pub in Ireland!
And now, time to rest.
Today, the world dimmed just a little bit. But we are left with a long legacy of joy.
I decided to wear rose scented perfume oil today (I normally wear “Silk Road”). It was the start of a little nostalgia trip – I burned incense sticks (Rose and Sandalwood, then Frankincense and Myrrh) and listened to Joni Mitchell.
I thought I would listen to “For The Roses”, but it turns out I don’t have that album. Here’s the song anyway 🙂
I did listen to her album “Clouds“, which has a song called “Roses Blue“ Had some coffee with lavender. Wrote for a bit.
Home Free‘s new song (an Alabama cover) reminds me of my decision to slow down and lose the guilt over the “shoulds” in my life. Of course, there are things that need doing… but it’s worth working out what the best next step is in each day! (because, after all, “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven“ Ecclesiastes 3:1)
I’m still working out the whens and hows, but it feels like I’m getting more done 🙂 Not necessarily what I planned to get done…
I just don’t want to be in that “hurrying, but going nowhere” space.
Here’s the earlier version, in a medley. Yes, there have been some changes in the line up over the years…
I was listening to some old CDs today. One of them was a compilation of Irish womens’ singing – a mixture of traditional and newer songs. This is one of my favourites.
I had the album before I went overseas in 1994. Travelled a bit round Europe – pre internet, so I had to find accommodation without the ability to book online. I somehow found places everywhere I went…using public phones, or sometimes just turning up. It was an adventure! 🙂
I often ended my day longing to rest my weary feet, and I cast my shadow from Amsterdam, through Salzburg, Venice, Rome, Florence, Siena, and Paris. Then a summer in Galway, learning Irish – a beautiful language. And one I don’t quite remember now…just flashes now and then.
Sometimes, I wonder about the people I met on my travels, all those 32 years ago. We move through life, interacting with people and places, leaving an imprint of some sort. I hope the shadows I cast were good ones.
Here are some photos I took last week (because – why not? 🙂 ) They are…photos of shadows. I love to see what the light does to the everyday earth ❤
Close up!
…and the shape of trees.
This one isn’t shadow – just a straggly web on a green background.
I don’t know if I’ll travel round Europe again. But I still cast a shadow in my ordinary sphere. Good idea to check that it’s a kind, gentle shadow!
And even better with an accompanying mug of coffee!
(not to drink at the same time!)
Still enjoying that buzz of creativity, although I seem to be working my way through my projects a bit randomly. Did my pile of mending today 🙂
It’s a bit of a paradox – taking the “must do, or else” out of the equation means I’m getting more done. Yes, there are deadlines, of a sort. But I’m feeling more confident that I’ll meet them. It makes my art room the place to be!
I’ve had a lovely, productive day 💖 Not quite as much done as I’d thought I would have. But I’m satisfied with my day.
I’ve heard that the creative mind is a messy mind, which spills out into its environment. I’m not sure that’s really true… I’ve peeked into artists’ studios, either in person, or in a book. Some are swirling tornadoes of paper, tools, and other bits’n’bobs. Others are pristine clean, everything in its place.
I’m probably somewhere between… Here’s my Art Room.
I was sorting through papers. Listening to music. Making preliminary sketches for a variety of ideas. Reading inspiring books. Taking snapshots of the things that stood out to me.
And, really – is it that untidy?
Well – yes, actually 😂 But at least I’m pretty sure I could find whatever I’m looking for in the teetering pile of stuff!
Each day has the possibility of producing beauty, and joy. Roll on morning – another chance to have a Really Good Day ❤ And who knows? Maybe I’ll even finish something 😀
I will finish this evening with a strangely soothing symphony…
The other day I went to my physio appointment. Usually the soft tissue mobilisations (I think that’s what they’re called?) are some form of painful, but I can still function OK the next day. This time was easily the worst pain I’ve had, although I can see it was necessary – I must have moved wrong, or picked up something without proper technique at some point, because everything was just…not right 😦 I didn’t sleep well after, and didn’t bounce back the next day as usual. Mostly, I just felt like someone had been whacking me with a blunt object 😆
Planning on getting stuff done tomorrow, though. Yay! 🙂
Here are some little bright spots I captured over the week (and a bit)
Originally placed on slice of cheesecake 🙂
This was just after my physio appointment – the shopping centre had a mural competition for their car park. I’ll have to have a closer look next time.
Lots of curls! I picked up the feather somewhere, but it had been hanging around in the car for a while. Now it’s living in my random still life 😀
So, I came to the end of the Rogue Hunt week, and managed to do more items than I thought I would! 😀 Part of the fun is interpreting the prompts – some I have a mental image pop up right away, some take time, and some I just don’t see at all…thankfully, I was in a team, so we all did good work on the things we picked ❤
I will post these in the order that I did them.
020 – Improve a famous book title by making it singular instead of plural (ie Tree Gump instead of Forrest Gump, but now you can’t use that one)
037 – In the style of Turkish artist Ertan Atay, combine a piece of Renaissance Art with a modern day photo, seamlessly blending the two into one image.
“Renaissance Florence” (not quite a seamless blend…)
100 – Scones with bones
(this was my favourite! 🙂 )
014 – Pushed Pork
Somewhere around here (midweek) I started on a team item, where we had to be gnomes in a garden. Here is Gnome Me.
😆
By this stage, I was cogitating on items I hadn’t initially chosen. This led to variable outcomes.
098 – A mason bee doing masonry work alongside a mason
I had no access to a mason bee. Or a mason. So I drew it. 🙂
009 – Using only straight lines draw or paint a picture of the troll who likes to get up to mischief in your garden. Leave it for them to find.
This one I had actually chosen early – just didn’t get around to doing it until later in the week.
These last ones were last minute, and hurried, interpretations…
052 – The calm in the (figurative) storm. Show us a tranquil art piece in the foreground while chaos reigns in the background.
I borrowed some of the boys’ display figurines…
097 – I’ve never seen an animal actually cross the road at their respective animal sign, but YOU are a responsible deer/moose/turtle/koala.etc and you cross where you’re expected.
(Sweet Bean as photographer ❤ )
And finally…
084 – Banana peels have a reputation for being slippery – Sounds like the perfect materials for a pair of high fashion slippers.
This was one where I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do. The execution went a bit…wrong. I eventually got this shot with a combination of speed, balancing, and the judicious application of tacks. They certainly look slipper-y!
It’s amazing what you can do when you just leap in to it.
A while back, for a few years, I did a scavenger hunt for a week each August. That’s gone, now. Much missed 😦 But I found something similar – not as big, but consisting of weird items to be completed during the week. I will do a post next week of my items – just know that I’ve spent the afternoon sculpting with scone dough, and filming a random food video… Tomorrow will involve a garden troll 🙂
As I can’t yet show you what I’m doing, I will share some tiny flowers on our garden fence.
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
