springing into action

The painting is done, and now I am faced with the task of rearranging, and more cleaning. The spackle dust made its way everywhere, it seems, despite drop clothes and such. They weren't the best drop clothes, being made of flimsy plastic, like a grocery bag.

My penchant for saving things becomes increasingly annoying, as surfaces are taken over by stuff. Paper is a constant nemesis. Being a crafter doesn't help, either! But it is what it is.

This is a whole new start (restart?) for my apartment, and little by little, I will get it to where I want it to be.

About two months ago, I had written an affirmation statement about how I wanted my apartment to be newly painted and clean, and an inviting space for people. It seems these things are coming to pass, I just wonder about the inviting space, and who will be the invited!? I'm not much for visitors, except for my best friend,evie, who happens to live right across the hall from me! :~) We've know each other over 34 years, and she is the one person who can come to my place no matter what it looks like. But apparently I am affirming more visitors in my life, so we'll see what happens in these coming months.

just me rambling

This is just me rambling today.

I am into my 13th year of living in this apartment. This is the longest I've ever lived anywhere. I lived in my previous apartment for 11 years, which was very long, too. This is the 8th apartment I've had since 1980.... In the past I moved around more often. Staying in one place for so long is just so unusual. Every time I've moved I've discarded so much stuff, but stuff has a way of building up and building up.

Now, after living here this long, my apartment is finally being painted. To say it needs this, is an understatement. The landlord gave me short notice that this was going to happen, so I had to go all out the past couple of days, just to clear out some stuff. Damn stuff!

Just one guy is here to do the work. That, I don't understand at all. I feel bad for the guy.

Meanwhile, I'm not too sure what to do with myself while this is going on. He's been working on the kitchen, and I've been out of his way, here in the living room. I helped him move all the stuff from the kitchen into here, and I'll be helping to get it all back, and then move the stuff in here to the middle of the room. I knew I had my work cut out for me before this started, but I didn't know I'd have to help out with the big stuff like moving furniture. Not sure how capable I am of being much help. I wish the landlord would send someone else.

Okay, he finished the kitchen. He went to take a break, so I put the stuff back in the kitchen. Now we're on the living room. Have mercy.

I guess you can't expect much when the apartment is being painted for you. The type of paint supplied is just a flat white; not even a semi-gloss for the woodwork (painted over generously throughout time; God forbid anyone had the brains to leave woodwork alone.)
After it's all done, I'll see about getting some of my own paint, since this is basically a white wash, and at least some spots will need a burst of color. The kitchen cabinets, at least.


......

6:30 pm now; the painter guy left an hour ago and will be back at 8am. Everything is still displaced in the living room. Ceiling is yet to be painted, and then the bathroom and bedroom.

I'm too weary to start arranging the living room, and with the ceiling still yet to be done, I may as well not.

One more day of this, and I can start going back to normal. (as if)

get back

When I was young and light and filled with the dream of a mountain, or something like an eagle, the world was vast right outside my window. I saw for miles.

As my life spreads out over the years, the horizon comes closer, and the world is small. Still, I can see for miles.

We fill up with age. .. with whatever it is we experience. If we don't notice the day, we won't notice anything else.

The city is a hard place when it comes to noticing everything around you. There is too much going on, too much sensory overload. Its best to keep your field of vision closer to the area just surrounding you, and whatever task you may take to hand.
Up in the country, your field of vision takes a big leap, and travels far outside your body... yet it is connected to where you are, precisely. You feel yourself as part of the whole. You can feel the earth breathing.

Gotta get back to the place I know the best... near nature, where hawks soar high, and wildflowers roam the earth. I need to breathe it all in. My very soul needs this!

Hawkfriend

crystals in a stream
wildflowers

snow like butterflies

Yesterday, there was a wildly wonderful snow shower in the morning. The flakes were huge, and looked like white butterflies swirling against the window. Was this winter's last hurrah, happening at the precise moment of the Vernal Equinox? It was so beautiful!

Today, the sun is out, in the low 40's. Spring is here, despite slightly below average temps.

Seems like a big spring cleaning is due at my place! I could use a few helpers!

For the equinox yesterday, me and ev decorated some Easter eggs... she painted hers, and I did 2 egg-shaped gourds covered with polymer clay. I'll post pics soon.

happy spring!

gourd dolls

Wise Woman, and Best Friends

 

 

With The Prosperity doll I also used a gourd.

friday the 13th

I wake well before the late daybreak. The room is too warm, and I need to open windows. I think about shutting down the radiators, but there's nothing I can do with the riser poles, which are spitting heat as if there was a blizzard outside. I will never understand wasting oil like this, and then freezing on days when it is really cold out there.

I stay up, decide to feed the cats when the sky lightens. They enjoy.

I started sculpting a couple of odd looking (long necked) female figures, over gourds. One is jet black, with coppery hair, and purple eyeshadow. I like her quite much. The other is fair, with blue eyeshadow and red lips... I haven't decided on her hair yet. Figures for a new spring, I think. I'll take pictures of them sunday night to show how they are coming along.

Yesterday me and evie used up the rest of the pressed flowers we had, and made up a dozen more pictures. I think we've done about 40 now. They'll be ready for selling just in time for Spring.

Now for a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Good morning... have a fearless friday the 13th.

heads are rollin'

I started a figurine recently... a little fantasy figure that belongs in an imaginary place, called the Riverstone Tree. These inhabitants live mostly in my imagination, but I figure they will all appear before me, sooner or later.
Well, this piece was a chubby (formed over a small gourd) meditating fellow with green semi-precious stones around his neck, and a small green stone in his 3rd eye. He held a herkimer diamond (the dreaming crystal) in each hand. He was very rough, but I liked him, and decided to start curing him. Just checked the oven temp, which was fine, but found he had lost his head, an entire arm, and the other hand! This is a lesson about armature... i.e. make sure you make one!

good morning

The morning sky is blue today, despite foghorns in the harbor. I've been up all night; tossing and turning for a couple or three hours, and then just deciding to get out of bed around 4.
Last night me and evie began the matting and packaging our pressed flower pictures. We're happy with with way they turned out. We're scanning the pictures to use on note cards. I think I will continue with that scanning this morning.

Wishing you a thoughtful Thursday.

being seen

.
.
.

my heart undresses
and there is the tingly blush
of being seen
deeper than skin
.
.
.

one thousand days

I learned, from a native american elder, that when you make love with someone, they stay in your heart for a thousand days. That's a long time, and over the years I have come to believe it's true. Well, it has been a thousand days since my last great love, and in honor of that I've written a poem and done some journal pages to commemorate this poignant moment.
This is old news to me now, but it has followed my heart for many days, indeed years.

The "Creative Every Day" theme for this month is "Dreams" (last month's theme was "Words" and I've mixed them up together)... and so, I start with an old dream that is long gone.

Here is the poem, followed by the pages (which contain the poem as well, but it's hard to see/read. This is for two people (myself and my once other half-side) that have faded away into a memory.





One Thousand Days

It is one thousand days since I last held you inside
my heart is releasing you now
thousands of new tapestries are being sewn
just for this one moment

I have gathered you in bits and pieces
emails and envelopes tucked with boarding passes
ice cream sticks and Euros
our faces and
the hero dogs

I will glue colored pages with these images and words
and give them their small space in the book you gave me

write our story you said

A few pages of time will have to do
Tomorrow holds other stories

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(click pictues to see larger view)