Let Go

Let Go

Let go of the ways you thought life
would unfold; the holding of plans
or dreams or expectations - Let it
all go. Save your strength to swim
with the tide.

The choice to fight what is here before
you now will only result in struggle,
fear, and desperate attempts to flee
from the very energy you long for.

Let go. Let it all go and flow with the
grace that washes through your days
whether you receive it gently or
with all your quills raised to defend
against invaders.

Take this on faith: the mind may never
find the explanations that it seeks, but
you will move forward nonetheless.

Let go, and the wave's crest will carry
you to unknown shores, beyond your
wildest dreams or destinations. Let it
all go and find the place of rest and
peace, and certain transformation.

~ Danna Faulds

I've discovered a new feeling I can experience any time I want, if I
just take the time to find it. I call it being "grounded." This
being grounded feeling has probably been there all along, waiting
for me to recognize it. Unfortunately, I think I just never slowed
down enough to be able to see it, or feel it.

I'm proud of the way I behave, speak and think when I'm grounded.
I'm at peace with the world, but more importantly I'm at peace with
myself. I'm not wasting my thoughts thinking about whether I'm too
fat, successful enough, or smart enough. I accept me. I just am.
Things seem to move slower when I'm grounded. Sometimes I worry I
won't accomplish as much. But actually, I accomplish just as much,
sometimes more, and the things that I'm doing are more moving and
meaningful to me. When I'm grounded I'm rational. There really isn't
right or wrong. Things just are. I feel whatever situation is
presented to me, that I'll move through it with a peace that passes
all understanding. Feeling grounded allows me to be loving towards
people, even people who don't love me. I can be nonjudgmental, I
feel wise and I am able to recognize some good in everyone.

Some people seem to live their life grounded every day. How do they
do it? I wish I knew. They always look so happy and at peace with
everything. When you sit and talk with them, they transfer that
calmness to you. Their words are wise, graceful and sedative, and
when you leave you want to take those powerful feelings with you.
You want to stay with the feeling.

In order for me to be grounded, I need to spend time on me every
day. Paying attention to what I think, what I feel, what I really
want from life and what I have to give to others. Let me tell you a
few of my techniques I use for staying grounded. I start every day
reading something inspirational, or I write. Some mornings it just
takes a paragraph or two. Other mornings it's a real struggle to get
all the bad stuff out of my mind, and I have to read a couple of
chapters, or write for a very long time. But I keep going until I
recognize "grounded". Or I might count my blessings. And if I can't
seem to appreciate the ones I'm in the midst of, I remind myself of
the problems I thought I had last week, or last month, and how they
worked out just fine, and then I remind myself about how much time I
wasted fretting about them. Music, watching the birds eat at the
bird feeder, blowing bubbles, and writing a column to share

Great day spent at Two Bunch Palms Resort walking around the grounds.

Turtles were basking in the sun,

Small very private pool

After the lunch in the restaruant three of us ladies strolled around the grounds.  The pools etc. were very relaxing and beautiful.  We enjoyed the numerous stained glass windows in the buildings and wall deviders.  Marjorie stuck her foot in the water  one place and hopped out really fast....hot hot hot!!!

 

Just wanted to share some pictures of family and friends on an outing with Terry, Kristie and their horses.

 Gorgeous hairdo!

Arnold Lunch Box Favorites - The P + Triple B Sandwich

Arnold Lunch Box Favorites - The P + Triple B Sandwich

Inspired by Michael Franti's lyrics in "Hello Bonjour":
"I don’t need a passport to walk on this earth
Anywhere I go ’cause I was made of this earth
I'm born of this earth, I breathe of this earth
And even with the pain I believe in this earth
so I wake up every mornin' and I'm steppin' on the floor
I wake up every mornin' and I'm steppin' out the door
I got faith in the sky, faith in the one
faith in the people rockin' underneath the sun
'cause every bit of land is a holy land
and every drop of water is a holy water
and every single child is a son or a daughter
of the one earth mama and the one earth papa, so
don’t tell a man that he can’t come here 'cause he got brown eyes and a wavy kind of hair,
And don’t tell a woman that she can’t go there
because she prays a little different to a god up there."

Being selfish isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it's all I can be,
because I'm so tired and feeling kicked-around that I don't have
anything left to give to anyone else. Can't muster up the desire to
care about anyone or anything, because all I can do is find the
emotional strength to be kind to myself. When I'm in the midst of
one of life's emotional depletions, I ponder about how I got into
the situation.

It would be nice if I could blame somebody else (and it's true that
somebody else is most likely involved), but when it all shakes out,
I am responsible for what happens to me. I made choices along the
way to say, "yes," or "no." There may be plenty of reasons why I was
pushed in one direction or the other, but in the end, I am
responsible for my own happiness. If my emotional tank is on empty,
it's because somewhere along the way I chose to give my happiness
away. I chose to go along with things, most likely to keep the
peace, or because someone put up such a fuss that I can't stand the
drama, and I just want it to end. So I folded--against my wishes and
better judgment. But the decision, that in my heart I know is wrong,
only gives me temporary relief, and soon I find myself right back
where I started.

Just found a new blogsite that is really terrific.  There are so many that take your breath away but I couln't help telling you about this one.  Wish I knew how to get it to open up just by your clicking on it but I can't seem to get all this technology thru my soft noggin.  http://brush-paper-water.blogspot.com/

Here you will find adventures in painting. . . . Victories, absolute defeats, frustrations, highs, lows, lessons learned, commentary and thoughts from me and comments from others. As a mixed media , do everything type artist, I don't wish to hide the fact that I crash and burn often. I will always be learning. So, it all gets shown here . . .good and bad. Every painting and project we do counts in the learning and experience process. The failures actually are much better teachers than successes. Every piece made is a teacher. That's the fun of it: the challenge to learn. I have started a chambered nautilus picture. It's sort of a fantasy thing but it's coming along.

I finially finished, so you deserve to see the finished product!

Now I've started....solid purple with varigated trim. These are shorter to slip on this summer.

I can't believe that I am crocheting a pair of socks.  It always looked so complicated and I know people have been knitting socks for years but I like to crochet better than knit.  So found some patterns and with my daughter's help on some places that I didn't understand....here is what I've started.  I'll show more when they're finished but it actually fits.  Can't believe it...it sure didn't look like anything when I first started.

The Journey 

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
...kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.

~ Mary Oliver ~

The holidays are a fun and magical time, but they're also filled with memories. Family and friends who aren't
with me any longer and friends who are fighting cancer right now,
these thoughts are all mixed in with visions of sugar plums dancing
in my head.
I guess I'm mentioning this because yesterday when I interacted with
an obviously very angry man in the aisle of the supermarket, at
first I was feeling pretty upset with the guy, even caught myself
thinking, 'What's his problem? Why is he being such a nasty person,
especially around the holidays?'

But then I reminded myself that life is complicated, especially this
time of year. Life goes on like any other day, people lose their
jobs, families are split apart, folks are feeling lonely because
this is the first Christmas since their spouse passed away, and
others are worried their parents might not be around to celebrate.

I had a good cry--and now I feel much better. I sure hope
the man I met in the supermarket gives himself that gift, too.


Can't help remembering when my grown-up children looked like this. They probably don't even remember.

 

Just wanted to share some of the Christmas around our house.  
"Joy to the World" and "Joy in my heart"

With all the storms out there and people traveling and clogged up in airports......there sure isn't much peace in the air.  I'm so glad we stayed home where it is tranquil and quiet.

I'm spending my time baking and knitting.

Here is a bag I hope to finish.

The SPA Paletteers met Wed. Dec 15 at Corkhill Palms at 9:30 am. We exchanged these beautiful Christmas cards that we had painted.  

Here are a few for you to see.

 We also painted Christmas tree balls. 

 

Aren't they delightful?  We had such a jolly good time!  We missed the ones who couldn't make it. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!  

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.

Coachella Oasis Preserve

Went for a walk today out in 1000 Palms Canyon.  Coachella Valley  Preserve it's called....there is some water and ponds, lotz of palms and sand.  It was hot on the hike about 85 degrees.  We walked a mile out...around the pond and back to the parking lot.  Blue skies smiling on our backs.

Several years ago hiked there with Lynda & Seth.

I would like to come here to do some plein air painting sometime.
 

December Plein Air

I had such a good time at Las Casuelas Mexican Restrauant on Dec 8th.  Six of us met at 9:30 am and walked around choosing what we would like to paint.  It was difficult choosing as there is so many beautiful things to choose from.  Lotz of structure and statues, etc. 

I was intrigued by the brick around an outside fountain...

 Then of course we all ordered our salads and enchilades, etc.  We sat on a sun-dappled patio and painted to our hearts content.  So-o-o-o much fun to paint and chat with friends in new places.

I’m Tired of Being a Christian

I’m Tired of Being a Christian

Boy is it windy today

Poor little birdy can hardly hang on......

 Hummingbirds have a hard time zeroing in

wind blows the door carpet all askew

 can't get the door open

trees blowing







Golfers can't get their balls to go straight down the fairway.
But after the storm the sun comes out beautifully.

So here I am in the present...right here in Thousand Palms. It's not Paris.  It's not Morocco.  It is not even Oregon or New Mexico.  It's windy ol' Thousand Palms...and I love it.  The sun is shinning and the sky is blue and all the clouds are fluffy and have silver linings.  Wish you were here with me.