On a summer day in western North Carolina

Like most days around here there is always the chance of thunder and even some rain.  Never seems to last long.  Stepped outside to get the mail.   Ohhh yes, North Carolina is humid.  A nice difference between the never humid or really hot Montana to this climate.  For me it's all part of the experiencing I want to do...cultural, climate, ambiance...all the subtle differences that each part of this vast country offers.  For now this is my moment and I am living in this moment with delight.

It's Wednesday!!!

Listened to the rain during the night...yes it woke me.  Unfortunately, the results of not sleeping deeply.  I enjoy gentle rain during the night.  It seems to get even more lush here with every drop of rain.  Certainly not like Montana.  There the moisture is soaked up instantly and the results...well not really visibable but I know the earth needs that moisture.

Just like rain music is the moisture that the soul needs.  Needs to become "lush" and fertile with creativity.  Certain tunes definitely do that for me and each day...sometimes many moments within the day...a particular genre will affect me and the creativity explodes with wondeer.

Classical guitar....jazz....blues...gypsy jazz...gypsy music....

A friend and I were chatting one day at our favorite coffeehouse in downtown St Paul.  The question at hand was if by some horrid chance one of your senses was taken away...is there one sense you could live without?  sigh...what a question to ponder...and hopefully never will happen.

The sense of smell...coffee...such a heavenly scent.   Touch...to feel the texture...to feel the touch of someone that loves you.  Taste...ahhh to taste a great Italian dish or Greek...a hot dog at the ballpark.  Then we got to hearing...the glorious sounds of nature...the city...voice..music!  Sight...the vibrant colors that the world offers us...the faces of passing strangers...the faces and the smiles of the ones we love...being an artist.

The sense of smell can when necessary compensate for another sense that is lost.  As can touch and taste.  Hearing and sight would be very difficult for me to lose.  I would rather not lose any of them.  I hope with all my soul that my senses all remain and that my mind remains sharp as ever so I have the commonsense never to take ANYTHING for granted.

Mending Fences and other things...

A fence is most likely the easiest thing to mend.  A hammer, nails, wood...and not forgetting to hit the nail and not your fingers or thumb!  Smiles  Other things are harder to mend.  When one is dealing with personalities, mindsets it's much harder.  Within it all then throw in perceptions and the waters get muddied.  Muddied worse then the Mississippi River as it flows thru St Paul, Minnesota on a summer day or when it's flood season.  I do remember that.

Sometimes all one can do is state the facts - you have no control over how another one feels about those facts or what motivates them.  It is out of your hands.  All one can do is know that within their heart and mind you know you were genuine.  You were honest.  You had no motives.  No hidden agenda.  But you cannot control what is on the other end.

Much harder to mend other things.  Much rather mend fences even if I miss with the hammer and I hurt my fingers or my thumb - that heals.  Not all things heal.

Not all things heal.

The Sun...The Breeze and...

There is nothing better then to hang clothes out on a summer day.  The fresh scent of clean air....after doing all my rinses to my silks, I hung these two from the line 20 feet above the back yard.  There is a small open porch and looks over the back yard.  Perfect place for the silks to enjoy the breeze.

Late Sunday Night Ponderings...

I did a very good weekend. Very productive. Got a lot done including fixing a great dinner. And now a glass of sangria and a peaceful night of sleep....sweet dreams...

Saturdays are soft on the spirit...

A lazy Saturday. Waking early in the morning. A morning rain already left it's footprint on the foliage. I spent a good portion of the morning creating in my little workshop with the door open to the back yard. Listening to birds chirp and the sun finally coming out to kiss the flowers still wet with dew. Two of my silks are now on their final phase of becoming art. They were gently rinsed and rinsed and rinsed....so many times I lost count. Then a gentle sudsing in warm water to set the natural dyes and then one finaly clear cold rinse. And, now, hanging from the clothes line flapping in the breeze for all to see - well the birds to see. And me to see. I never cease to be amazed when this step is in progress. The larger of the silks (which can be used as a belt or a shawl) has the intricate patterns showing now. Revealing what my muse did as the rust and the tannin wove the veins of art throughout the silk. Patterns. Lacing. Veining. Sometimes almost like marble. The darkness. The blueish tinge. The deep tones of rust. Every time I make a silk scarf it's hard to let it go. It's my art and I just hope that the person who becomes its new owner will see what I see in it. Beauty beyond words.

Late Night...

I had a long day and a hard week. Busy tho which is good. My creative muse started her process and created two silk scarves now drying and four more in the rusting and dyeing stages. Was a productive time. Even organized my desk and now I'm ready to go into full production.

North Carolina in the morning....

Was so nice to wake fairly rested this morning to the sound of a gentle downpour...my room was filled with the scent of fresh rain. The flowers in the front garden are blooming and later I will go out for more photos. Seems lately my focus has been on foliage and the florals in and around the house. Will be nice to venture out into the mountains that surround Hendersonville and with camera on my shoulder have new adventures. Oh the scent of fresh rain...good morning

What next for the Gypsy...

North Carolina...have never been here but then I had never been to Red Lodge, Montana either. Looking back...Red Lodge fulfilled what I needed to accomplish. Two prose books with my photos. A therapeutic experience to say the least. Now I'm ready to complete the third volume of Intimate Evolution: One Woman's Journey Vol III the Passions of Being. I landed by chance in Hendersonville, North Carolina. A quaint town of 12,000 maybe a bit more. Definitely a lot larger then Red Lodge Montana and even has public transportation Mondays thru Fridays. A bargain at 35 cents for a senior - service every hour up until 6 perhaps and doesn't run on weekends but none the less better then Red Lodge. IF I had not had to "root" my gypsy feet until my children were raised, this is how my life would have been BUT everything happens for a reason and perhaps I wasn't ready for this life at that time. Now I am and I embrace it whole heartedly. Everyone should be able to experience what I am. I now can say I have lived in every time zone of the USA - well ok - not Hawaii. West Coast, Mountain, Midwest and now Eastern. I was born and raised in Iowa and then left there at 18 years old. Sigh...smiles I thought I was ready for the world...but was the world ready for me. Not quite. It did throw me back to Iowa for a few years but that gypsy part of me needed to stretch...and stretch I did. Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Los Angeles, California: Orange County, California; Minneapolis & St Paul, Minnesota; Red Lodge, Montana; Hendersonville, North Carolina. And, still my gypsy spirit wants to expand and stretch even more. Where have I visited? St Thomas, Virgin Islands (oh to go back to that paradise); Montreal, Quebec Canada; Washington, DC; Espanola, New Mexico; Bradenton, Florida; and so many places...I have that wanderlust...therefore I am a gypsy....exploring, expanding and creating wherever my spirit takes me... Let YOUR spirit soar...

A new adventure...

December 31st until March 30th I spent in Minnesota. Reconnecting with my friends, art friends and family. I also firmly believe that before one can start a new adventure/journey that a time of hmmmmm grieving of sorts needs to take place. Have that belief when one relationship ends also. A time to reconnect with the inner me and resolve the present. A period of simple tranquility. The three months went by quickly. Was so good to reconnect. And now the new adventure...