Welcome to my studio, at least part of it. As you can see, there’s a lot going on. Slim is in progress, music is up for an upcoming silkscreen workshop eagerly waiting for its place that will be done later, dolls are hanging, and the largest project I have ever done covers the boards; more about that in a later post. It may seem like there’s a lot to look at but my muse is ecstatic, thrilled, energized. She doesn’t like a neat studio, to her, its borrrring. I threatened her with a new year’s resolution – cleaning it and making it neat. That didn’t go over well so I quickly dumped the idea. Imagine planning on going to dinner to a wonderful Italian restaurant and you’re drooling thinking about the vast array of goodies that will come to your table – hot crusty bread with a saucer of rich herbal olive oil, good wine, a lovely salad, pasta with Bolognese, tiramisu, YUM! And then… the server brings a plain bowl of spaghetti and that’s it, now there’s a bummer if ever there was one.
My muse expects my workspace to make her drool, like the Italian dinner – I’m getting hungry thinking about that dinner. Anyway, it’s been suggested to me by a few professionals that I may “suffer” from ADD. I don’t view it as “suffering”. I see it as accommodating my muse, presenting a rich meal for her to feast on. If I do that for her, she’ll give me that same satiating feeling that one gets after eating that beautiful dinner. Do you feed your muse? You should.
donna bogosto kearns
Shhhh
Shhhhh, the garden is sleeping. If you have children you know that everyone tiptoes about when your child has fallen asleep after a very active day. That’s how winter is in the garden; you must let it lie quietly. You know you can’t step in the planting areas and disturb the soil for fear of unpleasant surprises when the snow melts. You worked so hard through spring, summer and fall nurturing, playing, and guarding against dangers. You were proud of its beauty, pleased with its strength, amazed with its growth and now is the time to sit back and reflect…and quietly smile. It’s like sitting back with a nice cup of tea at the end of a beautiful day that you’ve watched your child grow, have fun, and reward you with that playful giggle that you can hear again and again. Shhhh, let the garden sleep. It’ll be time to play again soon.
Santa and the Soldier
This week’s post was going to be about Christmas carols since they seem to transport many folks to a spiritual place and amidst the festivities we are celebrating, a little spirituality can go a long way. C’mon, we could use a little spiritual boost. But, we received a Christmas card from friends who support the Disabled American Veterans www.dav.org and Ed (my husband) asked me to post from it instead. The card contains a poem that some of you may have read before but I’d like to share it anyway. It’s titled Merry Christmas, My Friend by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt, a Marine. There have been a few versions of this poem written to include all branches of the service and each version is lovely reminding us of one of our very special gifts. This is the version that was in our card. The original version can be read at http://gospelweb.net/Christmas/marinechristmaspoem.htm Wishing you peace and joy, Merry Christmas to all.
Red & Green
Have you ever wondered why red and green are the traditional colors of Christmas? Here’s the skinny.
The early Pagans celebrated a festival honoring Saturnalia, birth of the invincible sun, during the winter solstice. The Roman church was trying to win over the Pagans so they decided while the Pagans were already in a party mood they would set the official date for celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th. So, the church presented The Paradise Play, the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They needed to set the stage and since there weren’t any apple trees available at this time of year, they fastened apples to the branches of a pine tree which was to represent the Tree of Good and Evil. Red symbolized the blood of Jesus and green was the color of the potential for eternal life. The Christmas tree and these traditional colors then became common practice and used in Christmas displays each year thereafter. Following the church’s example, people began assembling pine trees in their homes and decorating them with red apples. This introduced two modern traditions: the Christmas tree and our seasonal colors, green for the pine tree and red for the apples. Holly, which consists of green leaves and red berries, is meant to incorporate both red and green to symbolize life and blood. As far back as Roman times the holly was brought in to decorate homes during Saturnalia. Holly was brought into Celtic homes to protect the occupants from ill-meaning faeries or to shelter spirits that the druids believed inhabited the tree’s sacred branches. So, there you have it. Have a Merry Holly Red and Green Christmas.
The Rainbow
Today we are still mourning, trying to understand how and why this horrific tragedy in Newtown could have happened. The whys and hows must be left for another day when we are thinking more clearly. The biggest immediate hurdle for each of these parents after having lost their child is trying to get through the fog of this moment, each moment, and contemplating what to do tomorrow. When I lost my son I grasped at anything that would ease the pain and help me face the tomorrows. Sometimes just words can bring a small smile, and the warmth of a small smile at a time like this can be a milestone. This poem is from a grieving parents’ website and hopefully can offer a small smile.
I have not turned my back on you
So there is no need to cry.
I’m watching you from heaven
Just beyond the morning sky.
I’ve seen you almost fall apart
When you could barely stand.
I asked an angel to comfort you
And watched her take your hand.
She told me you are in more pain
Than I could ever be.
She wiped her eyes and swallowed hard
Then gave your hand to me.
Although you may not feel my touch
Or see me by your side.
I’ve whispered that I love you
While I wiped each tear you cried.
So please try not to ache for me
We’ll meet again one day.
Beyond the dark and stormy sky
A rainbow lights the way.
~Authour Unknown
Operation List Generation
It’s that special time of year…Operation List Generation. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t exist without lists. I generate lists for shopping, lists for doing, lists for planning, lists for projects, to do lists; but my paramount list making time of the year is Christmas. I have to make a general list. And then there is a gift list, a to do list, a baking list, a menu and a grocery list, a list of stores that I must visit to get that special something, and on and on. I come by this act of list making naturally. My mother holds the title, the Queen of Lists. She makes so many lists that she even has post it notes on the dashboard of her car reminding her which lists to check that day. She’s much more professional than I am as she saves all of her lists and many of her records date back to 1942. Good grief! I am not in her league but…
I am thinking that this year I will make some special lists. When the hoopla of Christmas is over and I can settle in quietly with my thoughts, I will go through this past year and list the things that I have accomplished so I’m feeling good about myself when it’s time to make that list of goals for next year. I’m going to make a list of special people who I want to be sure to stay in touch with. Maybe I’ll even make a list of kind things I can do for others so I don’t let everyday tasks get in the way. We get so wrapped up in the doing and the hustle of everyday life; we sometimes forget why we’re doing it. I’m going to remind myself this year what’s important to me.
Traditions
It’s holiday time. Everyone is busy running around shopping, decorating, baking and making lists and feeling like they’ll never be ready. Some families have traditions that have been carried on for generations and others start new traditions. Either way, traditions are a way of connecting family together and making special memories that can’t break or wear out like a toy or a sweater. They give us the gift of celebrating our love and our bond we have together.
My husband and I started a tradition when our grandchildren were born – we do gingerbread weekend! And do we ever! The children are excited knowing its coming, my husband and I are pumped shopping like elves for all of the special candies and decorations needed for our annual project, and we prep the kitchen for flying icing. What started as a small house many years ago has now become a compound to outdo what we did the previous year. The kids arrive and the giggling begins. We laugh, we work, we eat, we lick icing, we laugh some more, we brainstorm on how we will transport the village to their home, and finally, we sit back and admire our work. Most importantly, we have time to focus on each other and add a new memory page to our book of love…and traditions.
Dilemma
I was getting ready for a meeting the other day, applying my makeup and had a phone call. I took the call, chatted a little and continued getting ready. While driving to the meeting I realized I may not have finished my eye makeup. I knew I put mascara on one eye but I was running a little late at that point and didn’t take a final look so I wasn’t sure if I did the other eye before taking the call. Now I was faced with a dilemma, do I look in the mirror to know for sure? I don’t carry makeup with me so if I didn’t finish, there wasn’t anything I could do about it. If I look and I didn’t finish, do I say something when I get to the meeting so I can get this out of the way immediately? What would my opening be? Will anyone even say anything to me or will they just take glances hoping I’m not aware that they are staring at me? If I know and then act surprised, I would be telling a fib when I exclaim, “Oh my” and then explain what happened. It may be fine and I may have finished. I struggle with these little things that challenge my character; the big ones are much easier to know what to do. So what do you think…did I look?
I’m Thinking Orange
It’s time to prep for Thanksgiving and I realize once again this year that I’m surrounded by the color orange. The branches on the trees are barely holding on to vibrant leaves before winter steals those few that are left. The grocery stores are filled with pumpkins, gourds, sweet potatoes; the rest of summer’s harvest. Because orange represents the changing seasons, it’s a color on the edge, the color of change between the heat of summer and the cool of winter. Van Gogh said “there is no blue without yellow and without orange”. It conjures up thoughts of good health, vibrancy, and warmth. Orange energizes and stimulates the appetite and encourages socialization which certainly aligns with a hearty Thanksgiving table. Think orange this week and Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank You
Thank a Vet every day, but make it a point today. Our son served in the military and we have many family members who either have served or are currently serving so I am acutely aware of their and their family’s sacrifices. We can’t take these brave warriors for granted and should be ever so grateful to them.
A number of years ago we visited my husband’s sister and her family. Her husband flew jets in the Navy and took us on the aircraft carrier. There was so much activity, everyone scurrying around doing their necessary jobs to keep all in tow and running smoothly. The sun was going down and suddenly everything stopped and there was total silence. The crew all faced in one direction and I had no idea what was happening until I looked in the same direction. It was sunset and they were lowering the flag for the day. I joined with the others and put my hand over my heart being truly conscious for the first time in my life how precious our lives are because of these brave men and women. I was honored and deeply moved to be a part of a ceremony that so many of us take for granted. I have never taken what we have as Americans for granted since then or forgotten those who make it possible, so thank you all.