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Posts tagged ‘philosophy’

a funny thing

Mother Nature 4.27.17

Something funny has started to happen, at the end of each day, I pull down a canvas or another form of painting platform, and I recap my day.  Nothing in mind, just a glance over my inventory of  tools, and my hands and “unconscious” thought take over.

I’ve always said, “I can’t do a journal” when asked if I have a journal, oh, I have lots of potential journals.  I love collecting them, but somehow, I don’t seem to be interested in writing in them. OR drawing in them.  I did start doing “art” journals, remember that, I got books and was keen on recycling the pages into artistic “expression”  I still like the idea, but that “action” evolved, I began to recycle canvas I’d find in Thrift shops, but as my husband has patiently explained, we only have so much wall space

In fairness to myself, I don’t really want to put up all the canvas that I paint.  But it does have to dry, AND some I do like to revisit.  BUT  once I do them, express that one “emotion/thought” I let it go. Working on Acrylic board, canvas sheets, or water-colour pages works far better, I can then once they are dry, store them till I decide to cut one up to use part or parts of it for a background for something else.

And why pray tell am I sharing this with you.  In PL, our first precept is #1 Life is Art. 

Think about it, many of you I know read my blogs, and you relate, maybe not to all of what I go on about, but some of it definitely resonates with you. With me, my daily lessons come from my “art” my writing, painting, how I deal with a “challenge/opportunity”  sometimes, I am a wiz, it works out just fine, other times, like putting paint to paper it really pops, just not the “harmony” you’d hoped or thought would reflect back at you…. PL Precept # 15   All is a Mirror

In PL we don’t do “sermons” we talk about the precepts, and how they are useful to us in our daily lives.  Much like you read here in my blogs.  I mention this because, over the years, I have been blessed with new friends through this blog who are not PL members but who share with me, their thoughts and comments, I LOVE IT.

Sometimes we begin a project thinking we know just how and what we will do.  Over time I have grown, listened, and learned from you, my delight in the world has expanded through the growth of my online, virtual friends.

How does my “garden” grow….. YOU make it blossom, YOU bring your thoughts and energy into my world, and I THANK YOU.

Oyashikiri

In PL Oyashikiri  is a blessing.

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Down Under -Thursday Doors

down under by Shirley Keen

Isn’t this just the greatest natural doorway into a small paradise.  Maybe not what we usually call a door, it does not open and close, but, Wow, I have to say congratulations Shirley, this is a stunning piece,.  I look through and see so much that captures my imagination.

A lazy bear, resting in the afternoon sun.  His nose pointing towards the sky as he breathes in the clean fresh air.  The water so calm and blue, I wonder if I’d dare to wander through the doorway in case I am tempted to dip a toe in the sparkling water or like the bear become part of the amazing natural wonder that is calling to my senses. I want to find a place, sit and while away the rest of the day.

Dreams and magical vistas await us every day.  It is up to us, to make time to go out and play.

PL Precept # 1  Life is Art

PL Precept # 11 Always be with God

photographer-Shirley Keen, NZ

Chop Suey Thursday

in flight 4.26.17

Colours of my day…… of late instead of writing in a journal, I do a colour piece, mixed media,  these pieces, are either stand alone, or I will use them for backgrounds to other works I might be inspired to do.

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Colour plays a part in my day.  I love colours that speak loud and clear. Probably because I like life to be clear and uncomplicated.  I spent part of today, calling what friends of my Mother’s that are still around to let them know the memorial is coming up soon.  Like her, they are up there in age.  It is more a courtesy call, to let them know so they are not forgotten.  The memorial will take place right down town, not convenient for parking.

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As beautiful as they are, all flowers eventually wilt , dry up and fall off.  They are so vibrant and joyful when in bloom.  I feel so alive, so bad ass healthy.  Too bad, when I catch a glance in a mirror, I’m not sure who the person looking back at me is.  I say to myself, I’m like the bark on a stately tree, I get better with age.

To celebrate my husband’s birthday, we had dessert.. which is not something we do often.  There are advantages to celebrate the passing of time =^_^=

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PL Precept #18  Each moment is a turning Point.

PL#21   Live in Perfect Liberty

a chop suey day

flowers 4.22.17

A beautiful sunny day after all.  A late start to the day, but once on the road, it was lovely.  The further from the busy pace of the city we got, the calmer I felt. With nothing really planned, it was nice to wander towards where we wanted to visit, but with no real need to be there, we could enjoy the ride.

The fields are bare, barren, trees are waking up, but there are still no buds in sight.  Other years we would have seen some sign of new activity, not so this year.  Low lying fields are damp, wet and in some places completely covered over by water.  I looked for animals, but except for a few sheep, resting in the sunshine on higher ground, there wasn’t much to see.

acrylic spools and needles

I did find a large quantity of a full range of colour in acrylic spools of yarn, and the needles to work with them.  Have I a clue on what to do with them, no.  If anyone out there knows, I’d love to hear from you.  I was smitten by the colours and the prospect of doing something artistic with them.

doll 4.22.17 18 inches VV Kanata

My husband sighed quietly when I climbed back into the truck with my little one… “I thought you said, you weren’t going to start collecting dolls”  the dear man, it wasn’t a question, he shook his head.. He didn’t say it, but he was thinking.. he hoped this phase will be short and sweet,  he really is the VERY BEST. =^_^=

There was much more we explored and experienced, it was simply one of the nicest of days..  I came home content with my “treasures” .. I had done the background for the flowers before we left.  After supper, the flowers magically appeared, it was 1,2,3, et voila, I was smiling.  I liked what I saw. =^_^=

Every day won’t be like today, but the happy days, out number the “gray” days. The minister in NY. wrote that we need to apply ourselves more to “living like the sun” PL Precept # 8.  I agree, and will try hard to practice being more cheerful, and to see the world through fresh eyes every day when I wake.

Happy Sunday everyone.. The forecast calls for blue skies with a lot of sunshine.  Enjoy!

Oyashikiri (Blessings)

 

Hospitals

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Today I had occasion to visit a hospital as a potential patient.  The view from this side of the window is a tad different. OK it is very different, and every time I have this “moment” present itself to me… I am a dual person. Part patient, and part auditor.

I take in everything, the way I’m greeted, the way other potential “clients” are treated, waiting time, cleanliness, & important to me is the way staff interact with you.

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Emergency drop off, you are faced with steps, there is a ramp over to the side, but unless you have been there before, or know it is there, you have no choice but to try to make your way up the steps.. that have a very considerate sign that says, “be careful, slippery when wet” something to that effect.  I was able to make my way up the steps, but another lady who was clearly in great distress was doubled over by the time she made it into the reception area.

My own journey through the “welcome centre” was smooth enough, except for the first person who spoke to me like I was a child who wasn’t listening. to her sergeants command to “wait”!  Unfazed I did wait until the lady who I mentioned earlier came in and there was no one to help her.  Then MY ” I am higher than you in the chain of command” persona took over.

All in all, as I said, for me the hours were productive.  I did get to lie in a private room with a call button at my side, and IV in my arm.. the colours of the room were soothing, and altho’ I could hear the hustle and bustle around me.  I could detach, I was in an area that was prepared should my body do something that required their immediate attention.  I put my vest on backwards to keep my chest warm, a gown under my head, rolled like the Chinese neck supports of olden days, and slept.

When I got home, I painted the friend I met while sleeping.. Big smile.  She is not finished, but wanted to capture her sweetness before I totally wake up.

blue angel- montfortAnother day has come and gone.  Hope you had a good day.  I am going to be a good girl and REST till I see the doctor next week.  What will you be up to.  A lot of fun, and happy making of memories I hope.

PL Precept #18  Each moment is a turning Point

PL Precept 17 Grasp what is most Essential

Oyashikiri

Dymoon

Thursday Doors 4.20.17

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Another time, another place

lazy days, quieter times

where television news didn’t rule the day

where children played in innocence

in country lanes or on tree-lined streets

off the towns central core

of country store, drugstore, and maybe a diner or two

with a small town community center

and of course the church

where friends and neighbours

gather Sundays to pray.

Today on Thursday Doors I searched for this picture, that I might have shown you before.  It inspired me then, and it does now.. because my friend, I want to slow down, we are not slowing down before we act.  We are seeing this in the upheaval in the world around us.
We celebrate the past, and the soldiers who died for a cause.  Yet on the next page is a story of aggression and violence.

People move to the country to get away from “city” living, and then they want the “city” comforts to be built around them,  Where once the quiet town enjoy a peaceful surround.  They discover that where once the dairy farm had been, a big box store was going in.  The lovely little glen and babbling brook that ran behind the farmer’s home, was being paved over for a parking lot

Doors are opportunities. They open to new discoveries, or close to hide or forget the past. Doors are symbolic, doors are not a decoration, they serve a purpose.  This door, to me, is symbolic of another time, a reminder that yes, we can go forward, and we can progress, but look how well maintained this door is.  It may be plain, but it serves, and it is respected, someone has lovingly kept this building maintained.

Let us look after our selves, we do maintenance on our cars and homes regularly  to keep them tip top.   It is time to make sure that we maintain balance in our lives too. Spiritual healing, is imperative, put love back in our lives, not lust, but LOVE

PL Precept 14  World Peace is Everything

PL Precept # 20 Live maintaining equilibrium between mind and matter.

Oyashikiri

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life IS

Pink-Azalea-1(s)PL ottawa

Sometimes I feel like the sun

sometimes I live in the darkness of night

sometimes, I am happy inside

Other times, I feel like I’m on the run

But, whatever, where-ever

I am always with God

Life IS

PL Precept # 11  Always be with God

When we live with God

we appreciate and accept

Life IS

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Oyashikiri

vintage ? old? new?

vintage 4.17.17First, let me begin by telling you I do not collect dolls.  I have over the years belonged to the CDAA (Canadian Doll Artist Association) a club that no longer exists.  We were doll artists from all over the world who had an interest in one of a kind dolls.  Certainly not the kind of doll pictured above.

I met a lady in a shop, who over time, we developed more than a hi, good day, how are you relationship.  I found out she is an avid doll collector, not the one of a kind type of dolls but in particular ones from a Canadian company, that have a certain look to them, and a wardrobe.  Like myself, she is a crafter, and artist, with her hand in many different project. We are many such “creatures” on the planet, and we thrive on the exchange of ideas and the inspiration we get from one another.

It is in appreciating the differences in the people we meet that we ourselves grow.  I truly believe that.  Seeing their “vision” and “creativity” inspires me to look at the objects that come into my sphere of “seeking” when I’m out on a “treasure hunt”

The doll above, I’ve seen over the years in fancy boxes in shops that sell to the doll collectors, and have passed them without a second glance.  Today I saw this young lady with her beautiful hair rather messed, and untidy, hanging all over the place, her shift which once had been clean and starched, was now faded, dusty and had a staining (that brown coat of “age”) that made her look shabby.  To add insult to her condition, where other dolls were priced at a respectable price, she had been marked at a ridiculously low price.  The colour of her outfit doesn’t really show properly, but the dress at one time looks like it was a pastel Easter green.  Her crochet vest was perhaps an off white or linen colour.  Her mother would have been proud, her undergarments were still white.

Yes, I brought her home, used a crochet piece I had to put her hair up so that I could get her clothes off,  I’ve soaked the grime out.. and will give her a cleaning when I have time to get back to her,  Why did I do that.  I have no idea. I know I will not be starting a home for wayward dolls.  At the time it seemed the right thing to do.

We all get old.  Some more gracefully than others.  The kindness we show to others, and the reason for our actions at times is not clear to us right away.   But I know for a fact, that goodness, begets positive.  When we live with a desire to live our lives with pure intentions, life is good.  There is always a reason for our actions.  When you believe this, the moments of awareness become more frequent.

Today was Monday, tomorrow is Tuesday, how wonderful is that!  Sleep with dreams of soft pastel wonders, and tomorrow wake to a day filled with vibrant colour.

water colour 4.13.17

A recent expression.. I was experimenting with my new watercolours on canvas and tissue.  Life is good, share your happiness with others.

PL Precept #19 Begin once you Perceive

PL Precept #16  All things Progress and Develop

Oyashikiri

Dark forest- mixed media

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Good Evening everyone.  Mixed media is when an artist uses more than one media or technique to work on a canvas or project.  In this instance, I had a canvas I wanted to recycle I applied gesso, then acrylic and when that dried, I went on with water colours. I have used water colour on acrylic before, but this time I wanted a dark background, so wasn’t sure how the water colour would show.

I was pleased with the results, I sculpted the canvas first with different tools, then applied the water colour to bring out the “feeling” I wanted. My water colour pallets were the Medallic Accents (Prima) nothing too fancy, and the Prang Ovals by Dixon.

Because I basically work to express myself, I use products that appeal to me, either colour range, and price. plays a part in what I get.  One could say, self indulgence. I create to please my need to express visually what is passing through my frontal lobe. This makes for happy happy, I know I’m happy when I hear myself humming.. I paint, I hum. =^_^=

What does it mean, I’m asked, or what am I supposed to see? is another one. The short answer, is whatever you want to see. If what you see speaks to you, Enjoy. There is no rhyme or reason, my expression, whether writing, painting, or sculpting is because I want to.  I gave up a long time ago trying to please..

We learn in PL, we, WE have to be happy, it is up to us to be ourselves.  If we don’t know what we want, or what makes us happy, how on earth can we share honestly with another human being.  It is no one else fault if you are unhappy, no one can make you unhappy unless you give them the power to.

OH my.. must not get going on one of my pet philosophies… Just wanted to share with you, my happy “dark forest”  Makes me smile silly.

A holiday Monday for some, others are back to work.. hope your week-end was a good one, let us have a joyful start to another week.

baby bear Yu yang pin wanLook who came to visit. He is from Malaysia..his ribbon said..Yu Pin Wan, does anyone know what that says?  Google translate didn’t help me.  Doesn’t matter, I think he is darling and will let him stay for a while.

broken crayons

Oyashikiri

Blessings/Namaste

PL Principle #2 I will not have complaints about others,matters, nor the weather.  Rather I will always be creative and will look for shortcomings in my own thinking and actions.

Monday 4.10.17

pic.Darren 2015

After a visit to one of the hospitals I’m  truly overwhelmed at the number of “sick” people contained in a maze of corridors and multiple floors.  This being only one of the large hospitals in this city.

In Japan one of the wellness programs they introduced was to spend more time with and around trees.  I guess this came out in the early 80’s  Japan in known for its spring time blossoms, people flock to the parks to take pictures and enjoy the refreshing ambiance of trees in early bloom.

Not spending a lot of time confined to a hospital, or home environment it is  an eye opener to visit one of these places.  Yes my Mother had been hospitalized, but my attendance there was focused on my Mother, and where I would have noticed or seen that the place was humming with activity and a lot of people, the thought came and went.  Today I had  occasion to have to track down my sister-in-law, she had been moved from the area I had been told she would be in.  The hospital is big it has grown and expanded over the years, even staff were not sure exactly where or how to get to certain rooms, didn’t help that you had to know if you were in the right “section” never mind floor.  Like a Chinese menu, there are  multiple choices.

Darren 2015 Monterey Bay Ca

I came away with the determination to work harder at obtaining and maintaining a good health report card.  Like most, I can cheat at sneaking in a dessert or extra starchy snack, now I have a visual reminder of where I do not want to be.

What about you…   are you setting attainable goals, then sticking to them?

PL Principle #8   I will not have a mind to be greedy

PL Principle # 2  I will not have complaints about others, matters, nor the weather,  Rather I will always be creative and will look for shortcomings in my own thinking and actions.

Oyashikiri

pictures in this blog by- Darren Su

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