Hidden

Hidden

If you place a fern
under a stone
the next day it will be
nearly invisible
as if the stone has
swallowed it.

If you tuck the name of a loved one
under your tongue too long
without speaking it
it becomes blood
sigh
the little sucked-in breath of air
hiding everywhere
beneath your words.

No one sees
the fuel that feeds you.

-Naomi Shihab Nye

Ode to Time

Fall is always a time of reflection. Looking back on the year that has passed, thinking about where I was a year ago, dreaming about where I'll be a year from now.

I recently acquired a book of poetry by Pablo Neruda and came across this last night. I love it and think it is worth sharing with the 3 of you out there who still read my blog.

You may need to click on the image to read it, but it's worth it...trust me.



by Pablo Neruda

Creativity.

It's been a long while since I've devoted time to my blog. Alas, kind readers, I've been busy here in Atlanta...working, teaching, freelance. Life with a "real" job takes up a lot of time. Time that could be used for painting or blogging. What I have realized about the working world is that it leaves very little time for exploration, learning, wandering. I do miss this. I miss the tangents that natural curiosity fueled by time and mental space allow one to go on. I miss the hours of studio time that gave way creative discovery. I feel pressed to go quickly, to get things done...faster, faster, faster. Time for error, time for accidents that can take us down new and exciting roads is not built into the day. Perhaps some artists and creative people do not need this sort of time but, for me, I've always needed time. Warm-up. Jumping into a painting cold...never a good idea. I realize that creativity is a mind-set. It is not something you "do," it is something that you are. You cannot turn it on and turn it off when it is convenient. You have to live in the moments of inspiration and action. You have to be willing to drop everything and tune into that energy when it is upon you. Most importantly, you have to be open to it. It's rather magical in that way and frustrating, too. It is not something you can really control. So, perhaps, my goal is to get more fluid in my creativity. To make more time for it...to be open to it, to live more in the moment of it rather than try to schedule appointments with my painting wizard.

Another New Blog.

So, clearly, I am heavily relying on friends and family to supplement my blog...today, I bring you my sister and her husband's blog. You can learn all about the joys of drinking scotch and eating corn as well as see adorable photos of my niece and nephew. All of these exciting activities take place in the megatropolis of Waco, Texas...a place known for dramatic Branch Dividian compound fires, Baylor University and some damn fine mexican food.

Maybe one day I'll return to the land of blogs and provide some original content. Until then, enjoy my family's and friend's food for thought!

Another New Blog.

Kind readers, today I bring you my dear friend, Jennifer's, blog. She is a wonderfully talented writer, painter, dog lover, tequila drinker, runner and poet--to name a few. She is also a new-to-the-blog-world-blogger. Enjoy. www.jenniferthink.blogspot.com

worst. blogger. ever.

I know, I've been lame. No time for blogging due to an over-loaded schedule and, to add insult to injury, I am posting "leveraged" material that I found in the drafts folder of my e-mail account. I have no idea where this little nugget came from, but I loved it so much I decided to use it as fodder for my almost-3-months-after-my-last-post blog post. So....here goes....and if anyone knows where this came from, let me know.

"It doesn't seem fair that we can look back and connect the dots in life, and see what led from that to this, but we cannot look forward and anticipate in any way what constellation today's dots will form in the vast space ahead of us. I guess it's just best to assume that heaven is right here, right now, and let the stars fall where they may." --author unknown.

New Blog.

As you all know, I love food. I also love blogs. I have a new blog for you all to enjoy and it has the best. name. ever. "Barn Appetit." It is a blog about cooking, food, recipes and life on the farm. There is also Crema De Limoncello recipe that I am going to make VERY SOON.