Rhythm of Life

Ah, yes, it has been over a month since my last post. Mom spent 8 days in the hospital and ended up having a stint installed in a collapsed vein in her heart. The week following her discharge she was tired and weak of course and hardly wanted to leave her room. I am happy to say the last few weeks of her visit we were finally able to relax and spend some quality time together. Although we did not get into making journals as we hoped (except for one I gave her to keep up with all her meds), I was able to share some of my painting methods and she showed me her bead and jewelery making skills. We had a couple of nice sunny days that she sat in my yard and talked to me while I tackled all the weeds that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. She is back home safe and sound and I miss her already. The first 3 days after her flight, I finished tackling the weeds and doing some late spring cleaning and now I am finally getting back to art - hooray!
As in life, it is important to find rhythm in and when we tackle creative pursuits. My sister wrote a compelling article about rhythm as it pertains to the written word in her blog here.

Painters Way To Rhythm


Now I am off to find my muse and get my rhythm back.

Mom on Life

Copyrighted 'Mom at 18'

I will be forever grateful that my 80 year old mother was determined to travel so far to visit with me for two months. We had visions of making jewelry (her passion - she brought a huge stash of beads), art journals, quilts, and of course some trips to the casinos for a game or two of Bingo. She has been here for 2 weeks and 4 days and we have done some of that although most of the time she has been gasping for air and taking to her bed. I had to take her to emergency yesterday and they have kept her overnight for 'observation' just as I and my brothers and sisters have done so many times in the past. She suffers from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder), CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) HBP (High Blood Pressure) , Diabetes and Leukemia. Throw in Diverticulosis and allergies and yes, it is amazing she is still with us. She looks ten years younger and most people are unaware that she has so many health issues.

I leaned on the window frame, above the curtain, where she couldn’t see me, and watched the sun dapple on the balcony and her. The lake below sparkled and danced; at the horizon the sky swelled up behind lazy sails. Sea gulls were soaring and screeching, searching for breakfast washed up from the night before. Two white butterflies wafted up to the balcony cavorting and spinning, seem to say, “Look at me, look at me”! Yet still she kept to her multi-task of working the morning’s crossword and searching for a recipe for tonight’s dinner. She moves her head up and down, finding the right spot through her bi-focal. The bright light on her unkempt hair shows not a strand of gray, but is shocking nonetheless. A soft breeze floated the cheap polyester fabric with its huge red poppies from her shoulder to expose the smooth plump flesh hanging just below. She calls it her calf-a-tan and I can’t remember a time when she never wore it.

I watched her head bob for a few more minutes, when she looked at the window I was standing, then off towards the lake. After 30 seconds, she was back to her crossword.

A long time ago, I remember being a part of the scene I was watching; her gently holding a bird that had flown in the window and was injured. The sun shining on her then made her look as if a high priestess while she tended to the fallen sparrow….. excerpt 'Remembering to Forget'  Journal CAEden 2001 

I hope mom will be with us for years to come. There is still so many layers, so much to learn and remember. On my way to the hospital where I hope it will be good news that she is stable and can come home so we can start our journals.

February Respite

Been away for awhile and wish I could show you great things I have accomplished. While I know I am not alone, it has been a struggle to find a direction the past week or so. We have had a small family crisis to work through and my beloved sun just can't find a hold with all the storms coming in from the Pacific. My 80 year old mother is coming for a two month visit this weekend and I am so excited but this has also kept me out of my studio. I keep my fabric stash in our guest bedroom and somehow organizing that closet led to a major cleaning and purging of every closet in the house! There is one truth I am starting to realize about myself and that is I am a hoarder. There is not one thing that if I can't wear it, use it or eat it that I don't think, well, I can make something out of it. I do feel a bit justified that I am doing my bit to save the planet by recycling stuff, however, some of my 'stuff' is over 30 years old!

 

Since I have no new work, I thought I would share the quilt I made for mom last June for her birthday. I learned so much with this as it was only the second 'real' quilt I have ever made. All the photos were transferred to fabric using Bubble Jet Set after my daughter Julie and I spent months finding, scanning and restoring every picture we could get our hands on of  her. I used some left-over upholstery fabric, pillow ticking, cotton batting, lace, ribbons and buttons. The six pieced friendship stars were to represent her six children and the 'moon men' appliques to show that Cancerians are ruled by the moon. The Friendship Star pattern can be found here.

It has just started raining big fat droplets and is to go on all day and night. I see on the news a big snowstorm is spreading all over the NE and people are bracing for it, so I guess the groundhog just might be right this year. I think I will go make a cup of hot tea and finish the ATC's I had started before getting into closet cleaning. All four of the first ones I made (that you can see below) have been traded! The cards I received in return are beautiful so I can see how this just might be addicting. But really, it fits right in with my hoarding tendencies don't you think?