Thanks to Bob, I get the unexpected delight of flowers! I never buy them for myself anymore, and I forgot how uplifting they were. It must have been floating around in my psyche tho, because just last week I was saying how much I missed my dad's bouquets.
My friend, Bob, took a fall and broke his tailbone. He will be in a nursing home for awhile. I brought him some flowers, but since he's "such a guy," I picked out all the pink ones for myself. (Leaving the red, orange and yellow ones for him) He was delighted, and his fragile manhood remained unbruised...
Thanks to Bob, I get the unexpected delight of flowers! I never buy them for myself anymore, and I forgot how uplifting they were. It must have been floating around in my psyche tho, because just last week I was saying how much I missed my dad's bouquets.
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I have these neighbors across the street who are always yelling and cursing and up-all-night. I have never met them because I haven't wanted to meet them. They scare me. The cops are over there a lot. They were there again yesterday because they were fighting in the street. I love where I live, but those neighbors make it hard to truly enjoy. Anyway, when I heard them out there yelling, I called Silent Unity Prayer Line. I have never called the prayer line for these neighbors before, because they make me so tense that I usually forget to pray at all. I wish they would just move out, but instead I prayed that God would bless them and calm them. Then late last night, I did something strange... Have you ever had "Laughing Cow" cheese? They are these little cheese rounds that come wrapped in red wax. Whenever I eat one, I like to play with the wax like modeling clay. So last night I made a little red wax heart, then I snuck out ninja-style and placed it on top of my neighbor's mailbox. (I didn't put it inside their mailbox, because mail has been getting stolen lately) I'm not quite sure why I did it. I guess it's just a symbol of me trying to love them, even tho they make it quite difficult. I love it when my orchid blooms. It's been about 2 years since it bloomed, and I had pretty much given up on it. I love it when something I've given up on surprises me so pleasantly!
My grandpa was a dear, sweet soul. He used to travel the world finding orchids and then he would bring them back to his greenhouse in Gull Lake, Michigan and raise them. Whenever my orchid blooms, I think of him. He was one of the few souls who loved and accepted me as I am. I made this journal page tonight while listening to The Jazz Underground show on KHUM.Com. It is hard to describe the feeling I get when I am immersed in creativity and listening to jazz.. All I can say is that it feels like I am distilled down to the essence of me between 7 and 9 PM, PST every Tuesday night. I wish there were some way I could be paid to listen to jazz and create art half the day and all through the night. This journal page was made by printing my face out (by accident) upside-down on a newspaper. Then I added elements from my day: some math I tried to do on a paper towel, a tracking sticker from an envelope, all sprayed with ink and then covered in wax. I used a sandalwood candle for the wax. It smells good and makes me happy that I saved it! Under my photo it says "Let the French have their say." I found it in the newspaper, and I want to go to France, so I threw it in! I lost myself totally while I created this, which allowed me to suspend all those many thoughts that are on my mind and actually work some of them out. There is something magical that happens when I am immersed in creativity and jazz music. It's as if I leave my body, and my soul takes over. My friend Sandy sent me the most delightful care package yesterday! It was filled with autumnal gifts like the towel above, and pumpkin socks, and it all came in a cute purple Halloween bag! In future years whenever I get out my holiday towels, I will think of her! She made a little note card out of this cool fusible handmade paper with a glittery turquoise "M." (my favorite color) Whenever I see it against Van Gogh's Almond Blossoms on my computer screen, it makes me so happy. Do you ever get that way about certain colors? I sure do, and it feels good! And it feels good that somebody loves me enough to send me a care package! Thanks Sandy! I was driving home this evening and realized I had yet to take my "What I love" photo for the day... so I propped the camera up onto the steering wheel and I took a quick sunset shot of the road ahead while I was driving. I enjoy taking pictures and videos this way; to somehow try and convey my love for the road. I love the road, the feel of it, the look of it, the line that runs down the center. As Bonnie Raitte says: "I guess the road is in my blood, 'cause I'm my daddy's kid." I love the road like Kerouac loved the road. I dig the freedom of it. I thank God everyday for my wheels!
I got this tiara at the Dollar Store and I keep it next to my computer to encourage frivolity. I actually wore it out of the store the night I got it. I ended up meeting this really nice mother and son that night who were going back to Indiana after spending 5 weeks together traveling Highway 1 up the California Coast. We talked for at least a couple of hours, and before you knew it we were fast friends! They were such dear people, and I really admired how well they got along. I loved my dad dearly, but I don't think we could have ever taken a trip that long together. Nevertheless, I wish we had tried.
Something I really love and miss is the changing of the leaves. I grew up in Michigan, where autumn leaves are truly a spectacle to behold! Out here on the Northern California coast, we mostly have evergreens. But I do have one small oriental maple on my property that changes color every year, and I adore this little tree! Throughout the month of October, I like to bring in branches from the little maple, to have a bit of the autumn colors inside. I take the loveliest leaves and press them into books, because that was what my dad used to do. Whenever I open one of his books, Michigan autumn leaves of years gone by come fluttering out. It warms the cockles of my heart. When I see my little oriental maple, I am also reminded of my dad's sugar maple trees on his woodlot when I was growing up. He would tap them and make his own maple syrup, which was a long and labor-intensive hobby. It takes 25-75 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup! I decided to make this little vase out of the branches that I brought in. It was supper easy to make with just glue and scissors. The glass vase is from an old salt shaker, but any old jar will work fine! It's just a matter of letting the glue on one side dry completely before adding more twigs. I have been listening to The World's Biggest Summit (http://www.worldsbiggestsummit.com/#,) and one of today's speakers was Mona Grayson. She spoke of making good memories each day as a method to more happiness. She also suggested taking photos each day of good things. I am just shooting for one photo each day, and if I do more: all the better. Don't know how long I will do it, or what will come of it. I'm just gonna try it. Today's good moment was when Bonsai kissed Otis. He does it often, but I never get tired of how cute it is! For some reason, instead of kissing back, Otis often tries to bite his ear. So Bonsai has to kiss Otis and then back away fast! But he always faces the danger to express his love. (Hmmm, I just realized that's a good life lesson.) Bonsai also cleans his Kittie's ears every night. It's his personal mission. He goes at it like he's finding treats in there! Otis loves it, but again, he always tries to bite Bonsai's ear afterward. It's the strangest thing! Anyway, I thought I'd call this: THINGS I LIKE AND LOVE. I have been having trouble sleeping lately, and making these zentangles in my journal really helps. This one was inspired by Grateful Dead lyrics from a tune called "I know you Rider."
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AuthorHi! I'm Marguerite Bryant, but most folks just call me "M." This blog will be a place to share my musings and inspirational ideas. Categories
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