Winter Greens
The last week f January I went to Blairsville, Georgia to be with my family. My brother, Bill, his son Chuck, daughter, Bretta and I did courses at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. Bill and Chuck did a wood turning course in making "hollow form" vessels. Bretta and I did a course called "Botanical Books". For a week we were able to learn from a botanical illustrator, Redenta Soprano, and a calligrapher and book artist, Annie Cicale. Using Redenta's techniques I did the above drawing when I got home. Being around my family is such a creative stimulus. They sing, they dance, they write music and blog; they turn wood, work with fiber,are excellent photographers, cook, sew, paint and draw. I love to be in their midst and always come home inspired and motivated. We have 2 new bloggers in our family: my great nephew, Reece who blogs at www.wannabejesusrocker.blogspot.com and my great niece who is doing a blog project of called Blogject365 (www.blogject365.blogspot.com). Their mother, Bretta blogs at Creativity Unleashed (www.brettaogburn.blogspot.com). These are talented people!! Bretta hasn't blogged in a while but perhaps this little rant will shame her into offering up some of her projects! Christa is a wonderful writer and artist and Reece writes music with great lyrics. As for me...well I can continue to offer up some poetry and pictures of life here in the laurel thickets of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Life has been great since retirement and as I sit here in the sunshine of a beautiful Valentine's Day I realize how incredibly lovely life is. I decorated my Christmas tree for Valentine's Day this morning. I moved it out onto the back deck after Christmas and it is still green and fresh (let's hear it for those Allegheny County Christmas tree growers!). It was cut from a local Christmas tree farm on the 20th of December and decorated with mostly "bird friendly ornaments". Every now and again I put peanut butter and bird seed on the dried orange slices so the birdies have a treat. I cut some suet up for them and put it on the branches and it was popular!
I can't promise a post every day but I will make a commitment to continue to let you all know about life here at 111 Ivy Lane. Here is a poem I wrote today about a dream I had a couple of nights ago. It feels important.
Severed
It was an old house
built onto a new house.
I saw the chain saw in his hand
as he severed the steps;
cut the house into pieces.
It broke away from itself
and fell mortar and wood;
crumbling dust mixed with sweat
on my father’s brow. I wanted the pieces;
to save them, cherish them, immortalize them.
What did I need from the pieces? Who
was the house? What fell; and why am I
hanging curtains on the windows that remain?
Aw, thank you! I appreciate your kind words about my humble blog. I love this poem. The last sentence really jumps out at me. Love ya!
ReplyDeleteYes, now that I have SEEN your blog post, I AM shamed into beginning blogging again. :o) Julian and Marie moved to FL last week and I am beginning to discover "normal" (whatever that is!) again. Catching up on the disorganized house (which smelled oddly like boys and dog after I was gone for a few weeks!), cleaning J&M's house...but oh, I am itching to create. I haven't even completed my book from the class yet...sort of hit the ground running with their move and haven't gotten back to it! My project room is overflowing with beautiful and wonderful materials (some of which are newly inherited from Marie!) and I am determined to get it organized and ready for action. Watch for the posts in the next few weeks! Making another braided cable necklace right now in my "relax time" for a friend to give away on her blog. Love you, precious aunt!
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