Everett Loves It!

So this is "Two Trees, a House, a Garden, One Ocean and Two Boats" per Youngest Grandson's instructions.

Lovely Time of Year

And then there's the simple expression of what he would like from me.  A painting, something to hang in his room or maybe just to have.  After all! he has given me many of his works of art in the past, so now it's payback time.

"Two trees, one house, a garden, two boats, and one ocean" is what he requests.  At first he says two oceans, but no I misunderstand...only one!

This little boy from his smile to his curly little ringlets of "orange" pasted on his head makes his Nana a better person.

Thank you Universe!

Voila!

Backlight

Another acrylic to add to my month of paintings. 

I actually just finished this painting today; it was begun a few years ago.  At the time I originally painted it, I was showing my art at the Sutter Creek Gallery.  I was so intense at the time trying to do enough paintings to keep the exhibit fresh and different.  For me it was no longer about the process but just churning out paintings to hang and sell.  I sold quite a few, was busy and feeling good about keeping up with other artists and the numbers we were putting out there.

When I finally decided to let go of all of that and get back to the joy of creating, there were a few that had never sold.  I didn't really like this one and didn't know why for a long time.  I hung it in the bathroom where I could study it and after a year or so knew that the light was coming from behind the trees.  I had painted them with sun shining all over the place and not much change in values.  I have darkened them and tried to place some value changes on this side though they are dark...I like it much better.  

So this small 11x14 took me oh maybe 3 years to paint.  The preliminary work I did when I was showing and selling at the gallery.  Today I finally added the finishing touches and voila!

You Can Change the World

I finally know I don't need to change the world.  I know that I can do anything that I desire, but all that I desire is #1 to be a good wife and mother, be the best nana that I can be, and to live as truthful and authentic a life as I can possibly live.

For many years I heard from Youngest Daughter to stop trying to be JC.   Her perception was that I was under the impression that I could do anything, change anything, and that I was always right, i.e. Jesus Christ.  Of course I laughed that off for a while, years.  Over time though I studied myself, hearing myself speak, seeing myself.  I found that sometimes it wasn't what I said but the way I said it that created the idea that I knew all.  I don't know all, never thought I knew all, and in fact I was forever faking it, playing the part of being educated and in control.

I think that when one has some measure of common sense, a small measure of knowledge and is street wise there is a certain way to be convincing enough to turn people's heads.  Those heads don't want to think more than they have to so they decide to follow without question, or they question and one with the small measure of common sense, the small measure of knowledge and the street sense convinces them all is good.  More heads follow, and more success is acquired by one who leads in this fashion.

Over time, one who leads gets convinced that she can do anything, change anything and her word is gospel.

One gets to be 65, has the wisdom to go back to her sacred promises to herself which were always to be a good wife and mother, be the best nana she could be, and to live truthfully and authentically.  All the other side jobs that she thought she was so good at just sort of fall away to the ground something like petals on a wilted daisy.

For me the daisy is not dead yet, 3 petals are still hanging on.

Universal Balance

So we used the dung paper hearts to write our wishes on Easter Sunday.

First we all talked about being grateful, about all the items and times we have to be grateful for in our lives.  It was at Annie and Mark's with Aunt Benny and all the kiddos, me and Papa.  We talked about  material things a little bit but how the spiritual parts of life are so much more valuable in the long scheme of things.  I led the discussion and tried my best to share wisdom and my spirituality; however, I in no way think that I did a very good job at getting to everybody's innermost feelings.  It's difficult to inspire especially for me when I forget half of what I want to say and get distracted so easily by minor things.

I had placed around the area in which we had gathered, burning incense.  Also prior to our gathering, I had spread the smoke and heat of sage to cleanse the atmosphere of any negative and toxic ions.  A few of the kids helped.

We all wrote on our dung paper hearts our wishes and/or reasons for being grateful, anything we wanted to share with the Universe was written on those pieces of paper.  They did not have to be shown or shared with anybody else and we folded them and threw them in my clay pot which is used for any of the rituals I dream up in conjunction with the Universe.  I had prepared the pot with a lighted coal tablet so that our precious pieces of paper would smolder up into the Universe.

A pagan ritual?  Well I believe that Jesus, Mohammed, God, all the Buddhas, Mary Magdelen, and Judith, and all the men and women who have shared their wisdom here on Earth received our messages along with the animals, plants, and trees.  We share them with the Universe, creating our  plusses and minuses for balance.

Dung Paper Hearts

So!  Grandsons gave me some note papers made out of elephant dung many years ago, a whole boxful.  They're in the shape of hearts and so I kept the box in tact not using a one for probably 10 years.  I think Zak was about 5 and Levi about 3.  They thought it was so funny to give Nana some elephant dung, and also that they were hearts was the "loving" part of the gift...my interpretation as a loving nana in the world of nanas as only another nana would understand.

I kept this box of wonderfulness always on my desk where I keep my computer, iPad, iPhone all my important stuff that I use everyday so that I could see it all the time and smile and remember the wonderful feeling I had when these boys presented me with this gift.  I actually would realize that feeling every time I would see it.

Finally a few months ago, I opened the box and used one of the pieces of paper.  It's kinda scratchy but smooth in pinks, purples, and a beige.  When one writes on it, one gets a feeling of really writing on almost a fiber like surface...not smooth and boring like regular paper.  Then if one writes something on it that one needs to remember for a while, one can have the heart just looking at them until it is not needed anymore.  One can also stack these precious pieces of paper on her desk and go through them when the need arises for the information written on them, or when one just wants to feel love.

I have only used about a third of the box of note papers, and am so excited  when I think about still being able to enjoy them for some time to come.

Yay!