Mary's Wall

if you ran across this mosaic would you not say it was fabulous??  what if i told you it was just a small part of a wall that was 90 feet long??  and that it was all done by one person?  and that it was in her backyard?  and that she just started it this past January?  just for fun.  are you amazed yet?

that, my friends, is mary’s wall.

 mary and i have been friends for a very long time.  we worked together in the schools.  and while i’ve always known her to be a person whose creativity was near the surface (i.e. generating lots of new ideas) i was not aware, during our working-together years, of the extent of her artistic abilities.

 when she attended 2 of my retreats in the last few years, i started to get a clue.  she talked about doing this wall in mosaics, but seriously, i had NO IDEA!  she had a vision.

Space Between3 Retreat

the wonderful thing about the wall is that not only is it beautiful but it is very personal as well.  as we walked from one end to the other, mary gave a running commentary on what bits and pieces of her life and family and the local area were included in each section.  totally amazing....

so while mary is not looking to draw a lot of attention to herself or her wall, i felt that it was a story that just had to be told!!

is she done yet?  i don’t think so…. now that she sees how much fun it was, she has plans for even more mosaics in her yard.  so if you happen to break a plate….. save the pieces for mary!!  way to go, my friend!!

Another of her creations

Beach Architecture

i first discovered  it at san onofre beach.  when i got down onto the beach i noticed the teepees.  i thought it was pretty cool and had a good time photographing them from all different angles and even from the inside.

 then in Oregon they started to pop up all over the place.  all kinds of small and large structures made of driftwood.  some quite simple.

 others rather elaborate.  some could actually provide shelter from the elements.

 the beach at bullards state park turned out to be the grand-daddy of beach architecture.  don’t think i’ve ever seen so much driftwood in one place!

i started really loving these little structures and finding them to have such a real and raw beauty.  i even coined an instagram hash tag for #beacharchitecture and started a photo keyword in my adobe bridge.  i have a feeling there will be a new beach architecture mixed media piece materializing soon!

This one in Yachats was a memorial for some boys who drowned

part of the reason i love this is that it’s a direct representation of the human creative spirit.  the ocean tosses up some random pieces of driftwood and we humans gather them and create with them.  how fabulous is that!!

in other news.... i've added an exciting update to my inside out project!

happy august, everyone!!

Doing vs. Being

I used to think I had to be doing something all the time.  as in every minute.  keeping busy at all costs.  i came from a heavily work-ethic laden background.  that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  it has bestowed on me the admirable traits of drive and perseverance.  

 but i have learned so much in these last few years.  (getting old does have its upside…)  i’ve learned that there is so much more to life than constant activity and checking off entries on my to-do list.

i’ve learned the richness of silence. 

the beauty of being.

the joy of solitude.

and the nurture of nature.

it’s TRULY a whole new world

i still have plenty of to-do lists.  i still stuggle with the need to “accomplish” in order to feel good about myself and my day.  it’s in my dna after all.  but there is a big change in my awareness level and that, my friends, is a very good thing.

 (all pics from earlier this month in coastal Oregon)

The Sea & Me

the great sea

frees me, moves me

as a strong river carries a weed.

earth and her strong winds

move me, take me away, 

and my soul is swept up in joy.

Uvavnuk, translated by Jane Hirshfield

Our love affair began early and was largely responsible for my 2500 mile move at the tender age of 21.  within 2 months of moving i was sharing a house with 2 roommates directly on the pacific ocean.  oh joy!

i’ve stayed within a few miles of that ocean to this day but our affair has had its ups and downs.  in recent years the persistent crowds and the realization that sunlight is not the friend of my aging skin have kept me at a distance.

 it took being in oregon – far away from the crowds and the relentless uv rays to realize how much i’ve missed my friend, the sea.  not the “beach experience” so much, with its sun and sand and barbeques, but the open ocean itself  in all its dramatic glory.  the tides, the waves, the sea life, the beach-combing finds, the constantly changing skies…. 

it’s a direct connection for me to the universe and an inviting opportunity to “justbe”.  i’m so glad we were able to spend some quality time together!