Calendar Illustration

For the 2010 weekly calendar, I'm including some color plates- here's one of Lady Hyacinth I did today (thanks be to Mucha)...I'm meandering through four different projects. In the last three days I have had three spiders walk up to me. Spiders showing up say, "Get to spinning, lady!" They make such pretty things so quickly. Today I was bit by two gnats that drew blood- I did not even see them! You know what they said? Even the tiniest distractions can drain life force when gone unnoticed.

Last year there was an enormous spider in my bedroom curtains. I said, "Spidey, thanks for coming. But you really freak me out. Please don't come onto my side of the room. Don't come near my bed, okay?" She didn't. She stayed there in the curtains for more than a week. I kept checking to see if she'd left after I had certain thoughts or did something on my current painting. Also at the time I was contemplating creating a really big painting, albeit nervously. And I thought, "Maybe she's saying go ahead and spin that out." The day I started it, she disappeared, never to be seen again. The painting is The Story, here.

The night before last I woke up with a start. I was dreaming that Steve and I were walking along rocks by a creek. I peered down to see a snake in the shallow creek. As I looked along I felt more and more nervous. I could not see the end of this snake. Where is its tail?! I turned around to see its head a distance behind me. Its eyes were closed. Was it dead? I turned further around to see another snake beside it- just as large! Well, a little bit smaller, but still huge. That snake had its head chewed off! I stood there, looking at decapitated snake, looking at first snake. Freaky. Danger. What is going on here? As I stared, first snake, who had killed second snake, opened his eyes. AAaaaa!!!!! We bolted. And I woke up.

Spring!

Today Steve and I went for a walk in the warm air. We stopped at the Millpond and sat under the blooming trees. The birds were chatting up a storm. Steve said, "They sure like to talk, huh?" Two geese came out of the water and walked our way. Did you want to know about them? Yes? About Myrtle and Harold? Myrtle and Harold, both from the same distinctive family of waddlers. Harold came to us as Myrtle sang in goose to him, following behind. They lingered before us wanting to know if perhaps there were some pita in our pockets? No? That's okay, we'll just stand here a bit longer in case you remember it. No? Ah well. To the blossomy tree then. Myrtle found her favorite weed and honked some more goose song to Harold, who replied in gentle goose, "Thank you, Myrtle." A generous breeze came through and all over the blossom tree fell its little flowers, showering Harold in a snow of white petals. Harold lifted his head to the sky. Myrtle smiled at him and ate her favorite weed. Here's their picture I painted tonight...We had a really lovely weekend at the wedding and with family. Here's one of Dad with his granddaughter Aly Grace...
Last week, trimmed back the hydrangea bush before the sparrows come back for the year. It's where they live. Do you know they left a present from last season? A little nest! I just found it and was so tickled. They even wove some of my hair into it! Steve took this picture...Did some sorting today, including some of the painting reference photos. Here's a little visual collage for your pleasure...

Sounds Concert

The Crystal Journey concert tonight was amazing! Here are David and Eden with Steve and I afterward. I wished some good dreams for you- hope you had 'em!
There's more good news! Guess who decided to make a grand entrance today? Lavender! Looking good! Looking good!

Steve and I are headed to St Augustine, FL in the morning- we're celebrating a friend's marriage- and enjoying our family! See you next week. :)

MmmmmWA!

Do Re Mi

Two hundred dancers staged this performance in Antwerp's Central Station. Enjoy!

Lovey Kiss

A remix of a Mucha classic! This beautiful image reminds me of a poem by St John of the Cross where he's talking about being totally loved through and through by God. Yummy! A kiss from god reopens the god inside. The song playing now is Loreena McKennitt singing that poem.

I started reading St John of the Cross right before I graduated from high school, and when I did, I was like: Holy Moly Shenanigans! This is where it's AT! You say so many rosaries- and things can get a little repetitive and honky. So when I read John's poetic collected works about how he met Jesus and the Holy Spirit as love in all ways... and how it was just so beautiful even through translation and centuries, I was totally done with St Thomas Aquinas/ Mr. Snooze-a-Lot.

After staying up late for nights reading John of the Cross, I was so excited I just had to talk to someone. So I went to confession. I said my not exciting confession, and then I was like, "Father! St John of the Cross! Holy Cow!" And then I went on and on "bla bla bla and then John says this and isn't that amazing bla bla bla... oh! AND bla bla bla... isn't he really something, Father?! What's he like to you?" And let me tell you what. Father dropped so much bullshit that even I could smell it. I sat there smiling at him thinking to myself, "This guy is clueless." And that was the last time I went to confession. Regularly. I had an inkling at that point that I had something really good in my very own pocket. Sometimes I feel bad that I've disappointed my family by not staying with the Church, but it makes me twinkle that it was sweet St John who started it.

School of TuPac

Here's a few tunes from the man. I cherish his music. He had a tattoo of Nefertiti (The Beautiful One is Among Us) on the right side of his heart, and under it is written to die for.

This is a poem he wrote as a teenager:

The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk without having feet. Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.

Over his belly is a giant tattoo, THUG LIFE. The word thug comes from the Thuggees of India, an ancient fanatical sect devoted to Shiva, who believed that the God of Destruction (and Transformation) required daily human sacrifice. The Thugs attacked foreigners or travelers, then drugged them with Datura before killing them. Datura is also called Tuft of Shiva in India.

Biggee Smalls is sometimes blamed for TuPac's murder, and in one of his songs he sings, "Not be fucked with." I would agree. But then, Biggee Smalls was also shot down by thugs.

Those who wish to follow me- I welcome with my hands.