We are Family

Today we drove to Walmart with the grandboy to find a Christmas

present for him. Everyone else was last minute shopping too.

I used my walker as this is Walmart, one of the bigger stores.

I had to sit for awhile in an out of the way place and watched each

person or family pass. A thought floated thru my mind, 

 

"This is my Family".

 

I couldn't stop smiling at folks and saying hi, making eye contact and

appreciating aunts, uncles, mothers, brothers. Every one of them looked

back and most spoke. We're all made of the same stardust. We have

each other to appreciate. We should be the last person to hate another in this big family.

The photo is from a bird funeral my friends and I celebrated when I was five.

I want to remember and live with this experience today. Kind of a spontaneous

life lesson. We are all family.

Under the Petting Trees

A friend reminded me that llamas and sheep like to get

'petted' by trees and fences by rubbing against them.

I love seeing our sheep walk up to the fence 

and do the bear thing to get to those hard to

reach places.

Winter story one

little donkey

We are all immigrants

I love this.

http://www.womenwhodraw.com/wwdtogether/

On Tuesday I plan to take my Voter Registration card...just in case.

First Harvest and a Recipe

Recipe for Collard Greens 

Double armful of Collards

(after first frost is best)

washed and stems clipped

Red pepper flakes, (2 shakes more or less)

Maple syrup, 2 Tblsp or more

Veg or chicken stock, 2 cups

Combine all in a big pot and cook on low

an hour or two.

I'm just glad it's not my job to harvest it all!

Front yard field

 

 

Side yard field.

Neighbor's field - done!

Busy time for farmers around here. Most crops are in for the year.

Except cotton. In the early morning it looks like snow in the field.

Soon enough it will be.

Morning visit

This may be why our mice population is down to little

more than zero lately. This handsome boy jumped over the

fence, prowled the front yard awhile, then jumped out.

Cycles and comfort

For awhile I've been spending time in the garden listening.

Leaves, birds, breezes all inviting me back to the present

without my small companion. Life cycles on. 

This came together slowly.

Jude's moon, Deb's dyed fabric/threads and my basket of

dyed cloth.  Only have to finish the boat's eyes in

a deep brown I know by heart.

Wonderful surprise

This mixed media portrait of Opie arrived yesterday.

My friend,  Jan, made it for us. It'll be framed this week

and hung in a place of love here. Jan captured his

personality. Thank you, my friend!

Well said

I offer this beauty for all of our spirits. Our political system

seems not to be working lately for all the people. And I see no

viable solutions out there, only fierce hatreds and closed minds.

Terry Windling says it well here;

http://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2018/09/on-dark-beauty.html

I agree with her insight that we must continue to make beauty in

the way we can. Goodness will know how to find us.

if we do good. Jon Katz says it well here;

http://www.bedlamfarm.com/2018/09/27/caught-in-america-lost-in-the-middle/

 

We can be more powerful than hate.

We can make beauty, be kind, do goodness. And vote.

A good, good dog

Opie has left us. 

Our hearts hurt.

He was a good, good dog.

Lucky us to  have lived with  him for 14 years.

Before the storm-After clearing out

This IS after clearing out. I think I stopped too soon.

Now I can sew without setting up the machine.

We're waiting to see where Florence decides to land.

We remember Isabel when we evacuated with 2 cats and 3 large dogs.

Got the last motel room in Danville. Only emergency electricity and

folks roaming the low lit halls with guns in holsters.

We'll stay put this time with our small dog.

Old sheep may need glasses

Two gifts from mom

Mom died in 2015. Right before she died she said, "you're looking after me since I became

weaker and when I die I'll look after you". 

Lately the Parkinson's symptoms hit me while I'm grocery shopping or walking to

my car. I honestly feel I cannot take another step, even with my cane.

On Tuesday I sorted a box of her letters and memories.

In an envelope was a 100 dollar bill. Along with some

money dad had given me, I had 300 dollars.

So I ordered this spiffy rollator so I can get around more easily.

The price tag= 300 dollars!

Thanks, folks. 

The second present in the box was a tiny empty bottle.

When I opened it the fragrance of mom's perfume jumped out.

It was like a hug and now rests in my jewel box.

It was the best of all presents.

The real cause of Opie's very sick day last week

The truth came out last night about what happened to Opie last week.

There are no photos to this gruesome act.

Last night caught him murdering a cardinal newly hatched.

He's in a harness and has supervision in the yard until the babies can fly.

Opie

Our companion for 14 years is at the end stages of heart disease.

He's not eating or drinking this morning. We're keeping a quiet house

and a compassionate eye on our little dog.

Bear Season

Not all who live in the country are cuddly,  but most would rather keep

their distance from us. I've seen a young male bear looking for

his own turf (mom kicks them out at about 2 years old) checking out

our road and driveway. I think he decided to head out further. 

But there are lots of invisible creature neighbors out her.

Tooth and Claw

Finishing this last night I realized every animal had claws and

a strong defense. I even added another bear in this photo.

I feel protective of our home and family lately.

Maybe a skunk, snapping turtle, badger and bear will help.

Symbols inside us

 About 10 years ago I made the little cloth in the foreground.

The recent painting on the right has the same shorthand tree.

Just found the cloth yesterday.

Somewhere in my mind lives a tree file.

Speaking of eyes...

Kilauea 

 

 Another face of Mother Earth

Cool spring days

 Sheep after shearing and before checkups...ready to go!

Painting in the sun room. Gratitude  for this time.

Sheep Shearing Day

An old photo of our ewes which shows how wooly they are this time of year.

One of our two favorite Shepherdess' hand shearing. Notice the pile of

wool on right looks like another ewe.

The other Shepherdess finishes the job.

 I'll post the goat-looking sheared sheep next time.

I so love this painting. 

Discovery

Almost stepped on this creature in the sun room.

Watched her awhile.

Then she took a walk!

 

Small hopeful things

 

This week I was able to hem some pants. Hooray! Got excited and

went through my cloth suitcase. After surgery I hope to be

able to hand sew like before. Enough of the stick, this is the carrot. 

 

Bob's planting the kitchen tomatoes. By July 4 most years. The big garden is

for canning. These are closer to my salt shaker. 

 

I decided to bury the last of mom's ashes under the Cherry tree

to the right of the birdbath. Now I can walk out and say

hello and know she's in a beautiful place near me.

Creating hope in this world is important.

From hand to hand

Two creatures live in my china hutch. My grandmother and I made them
over 50 years ago.  She was a tailor for many ladies in town and
shared the buttons, fabric and beads left over from their dresses. More important
she shared her time and taught me to thread a needle and how to use it.
Here is a doll we made from ticking stripe and dressed in scraps of fabric.

Gathering the neckline with a running stitch, brand new skill for me!

The turtle is very fancy with his pearls and rhinestone, isn't he?
 I  remember folding the rick rack over the edge and sewing it down. 

Here is my sweet, talented grandmother, Hattie Mae.

Two steps forward, one step back

That is how spring comes along this year. 

I watch for more green. Blossoms take my breath away.

Fat bees appear. Birds are back with lots of song.

The breath of the world, the wind, makes trees dance.

 

 

On the other hand

 Well, some days Mr Parkinson is a bad guest; causing tremors and imbalance,
taking  all of my courage and patience, laughing at my 'to do' list.  I have heard
that chronic illness can be a spiritual teacher. Some days it's just a bully.

I can still weave stories even if I can't sew much anymore. Anything involving both
hands is a joke. My right arm/hand is steady as long as I'm painting. This keeps me
hopeful.

How it is

2 years ago I learned I have Parkinson's. Gradually lost the ability to sew.

My right arm/hand remains steady but without much grace in painting.

Still, I'm able to paint in a folk way and connect with mother earth.

Many of the forms which came up in my studies with Jude Hill

are still in my mind's eye and pop up in paint.

Painting keeps me smiling and hopeful these days.