365 ::: 2013

365 ::: 2013, a set on Flickr.

Month one completed, and in the books. I am finding a new appreciation for the "photo-a-day project" or Project 365. I have high hopes for completing it this year!! At least, I'm off to a good, solid start. It's just one more way to live a mindful, in the moment sort of life. Won't you take a peek at January and my daily musings?

Love to all,
Barb

Making Art

We awoke this morning to fine snow falling and sleet mix.  The phone call came advising us that school has been cancelled for today.  umm, YAY!  I love snow days!  It means I get to spend an entire unplanned day with my girls.  We get an unexpected surprise "day off!"  Still in our PJ's, Alanna (my 7 y/o) pulled out the roll of paper that fits neatly in her easel.  She didn't want to keep it confined to a neat roll any longer.  When I saw the amount of paper she wanted to draw on, I suggested attaching it to the wall and create a community mural.  I use community loosely here, rather it is a family mural project.  But in the spirit of teaching my girls about working together, in harmony, as a team, we have branded it a community project.  And as a community, we must respect one another's artwork - nobody is allowed to draw over someone else's drawing without permission; we must allow one another the freedom and liberty to express our art in our own unique way, without criticism.  So, when Alanna questioned Emmy's (3 y/o) decision to add pink snow to a springtime scene, I added that she had a right to include pink snow. ;) With big, heavy sighs, she accepted that answer.  We'll continue to add artwork to the mural project until we all feel satisfied with it.  

Making art with my girls is one of life's pure joys for me.  I hope you are having an art-filled day, too!!  :)  Peace to you, my friends. 

   

With love & brightly colored crayons, 

Barb

true colors

Last night I was shown true colors.  Realizations shone brightly in my mind's eye.  Bitter exhales and blissful love mingled in a swell of memories.  I have been here before.  Time heals old wounds.  Time and time again I set myself up for the taking, for the giving, the grasping attention that is my seeking.  All in vain.  Yet again the true colors of my life-giving force are revealed.  Constant pull.  Then push.  Pull.  Push.  The dance I have learned throughout all of eternity.  You show these true colors.  The colors of your soulful nature I have learned so well.  It is an undoing; mine.  A cycle I can not let go.  For life is precious and sweet and fleeting.  Hungry grasping.  Sharp, angry releasing.  The melody plays on.  

Forever your dancer,

~ Barb ~       

a word to live by

I awoke at 2 a.m. this morning, tossing, turning.  Insomnia struck my sleeping brain.  My mind has been heavy with ideas, worries, family, and some very personal epiphanies as to my relationships (to which I've come up with a title for my 1st memoir!).  However, I will save that juicy tidbit for another day.  Today I want to share with my readers the word that will guide my new year.  I hadn't really even realized that I was meditating about it, until… Until, it was whispered to me by a very comforting feeling, silently untapping my consciousness.  In that moment I knew that I needed this word to guide me throughout 2013.  The word that echoed in my mind was simplify.  Nothing too extraordinary, yet profound, invigorating, liberating.  Simplify.  It isn't as beautiful a word as dream, or desire, or love, or hope, or dare, or even faith, but it is my one word.  Simplify.  Being a bit fanatical about words, I immediately looked up my word in my well-loved, torn dictionary.  Simplify is a verb meaning (per the American Heritage dictionary) "to make simple or simpler."  That's all.  As simple as that.  I will simplify my life this year.    

Curious minds wonder.  Do tell.  Have you been whispered your one word for 2013?  Do you choose a single word to guide you each year?  I'd love to hear yours.  

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.   ~ Charles Mingus ~

Agreed, Mr. Mingus.  Agreed.  :) 

Good things to come in 2013,

~ Barb ~