Music Hath Charms . . . .

Yesterday evening my friend took me to a lovely "Italian Garden Party."  The weather was beautiful -sunny, cool, blue skies with just the right number of puffy clouds - and the scene was so festive: colored paper lanterns, scattered tables and chairs, all with different, multi-colored tablecloths, some with rainbow umbrellas shielding them.  An opera singer performed excerpts from various operas, a few of which I had never heard, and in some cases, heard of.  And for a few moments, there was one of those experiences which come infrequently, but which linger in the memory.  There was the singer, and behind her voice, so to speak, the sweet tones of a piano; congenial company surrounding me;  glowing lanterns, towering trees - and then a breeze that gently swept past me and rushed through the trees, adding the softest rustling of the leaves. For just a few moments, time stopped, everything was so perfect.  What a lovely evening!

Later, my friend and I listened to recorded music, some of it so bubbly and frisky, like the brook I so long to have behind my home someday,  sparkling along; and some of it more profound. It still delighted the soul, but there were so many emotions within, so much of life with its sorrows and triumphs.  When one is immersed in sorrow, this music can bring understanding and courage.

Well, I don't want to sound too solemn.  The evening was wonderful, and a reminder to do the things I love.  As the Bratslaver Rebbe said, and I have quoted before:  "Do all manner of things to make yourself joyful." Amen.

The Last Weekend of Summer

Today I went kayaking.  I had been thinking about kayaking or canoeing all summer, but going on my own was not my first choice.  Not my second, either, but I realized that I should just carpe diem et paddlem, and go kayaking this weekend.

So, after delaying as much as possible - a leisurely lunch at Carousel, my town's favorite breakfast and lunch joint, chatting with the staff, walking into town to sign up for a workshop at The Paper Source, a mouth-watering paper craft store, and then watering all my plants - I realized there was still time to go, so I went.

I drove out to the Griggstown Canoe and Kayak rental, which I haven't used before, climbed shakily into my snazzy red kayak, and started out on my riparian quest for nirvana.  I had checked out paddling technique in a book about kayaking a couple of evenings ago, but somehow the words didn't translate into action, so I decided to worry about technique later, and just paddle any way that seemed to work.

It was like life, in a way.  Sometimes the paddling went so smoothly.  My kayak just glided through the water, and my strokes were effortless, rhythmic, regular.  But just when I thought to myself, "Hey, I've got the hang of this!"  my paddling would go to pieces and the paddle would go in too far, or not far enough, or my strokes would be too strong on one side, too light on the other, or it would just feel wrong and laborious for no reason I could discern.  And then it would feel smooth and relaxed again.

Along the way I saw some incredibly beautiful lobelia cardinalis, a bright, bright red wild flower;  I back-paddled and then just floated by as slowly as possible to try to really see it as much as possible.  And I spotted two turtles; one sunning on the shore, and a much, much larger one diving off a tree trunk into the canal.

It was lovely, especially the floating interludes, when I just sat back in the seat and let the paddle rest in front of me, feeling the gentle drifting and flow of the water.

Afterwards, it was still light, so I drove over to some woods and wandered along a brook.  I am always looking for treasure when I walk in the woods - a grotesquely twisted, gnarled branch, a pebble with a "fossil," anything with a whiff of magic to it.  Today I found a large white plastic pawn - about 3" tall, mostly buried in the loamy soil.  It was so odd.  What did it mean?  (I know, I know, these things don't really "mean" anything, but what meaning would feel right if I ascribed it to this find?)  I am just a pawn in life?  I should stop being just a pawn?  Pawns get tossed aside and stepped on?  Life is like a game of chess?  (Unfortunately, I am deeply, truly inept at chess!)  At any rate, it was surprising enough that I took it along with me when I  emerged back into the real world.  I wish it had been made of alabaster instead of plastic, but I have silver and gold leaf, and have been mulling over how to transform my pawn.  I think the least I can do for it is give it a crown.

At any rate, according to the freckle-faced teen at the kayak concession, there are six or more weekends of kayaking left, so I will definitely go again.  I am so glad that inertia didn't overcome my good intentions!  You know about the road to hell; I don't want to contribute any further to its paving!  ("The road to hell is paved with good intentions.")

Summer thoughts

A cricket chorus,

A thousand insect choir:

I close my eyes

Surrounded by their music

Wrapped in the starry night

And know there is enchantment in the world.

Tempus fugit really quickly!

Wow.  More than two months have gone by since my last post.  I have been house-hunting, looking for a house very, very close to Princeton, with a nice layout, in good condition, with low property taxes, and with a running brook on the property.  I am shocked, shocked, that with such minor requirements I haven't found one yet!

I am thinking about the two Alice books by Lewis Carroll.  They are such classics, and yet think for a moment if you really were in Wonderland or through the looking glass and reality were distorted, turned on its head, and no-one would listen to you . . . it sounds more like a nightmare to me.  I must re-read them.

A lot of children's books have a subtext of confronting the terrors of childhood.  I suppose they supply a catharsis, but I am a bit of a wimp, and prefer sunnier, happier texts that emphasize the magic you can find in the world if you just keep your eyes and your mind open.

Alas, sometimes magic seems in short supply, and darkness overwhelming.  But according to Chassidus, we all have a divine spark inside, and if we let it grow, it can light the way for us.

Long Time, No Post

Wow, time flies when you're having fun.  I am still playing with the goodies I got at the Art Opera art retreat I attended in Redbank, NJ two weeks ago.    I have so many ideas for new projects, and so little time to do them in!

The next Art Opera in 2011 is shaping up to be incredible - possibly in Lambertville, which is not only close by, but also home to antique stores, art galleries, book stores, flea markets - I'm getting light-headed just thinking of all the cool stuff to do and see there.

I have a workshop with Pamela Huntingdon coming up on May 1 - she is a terrific teacher: organized, prepared, encouraging, and fun.  You need the organized and prepared part if you want your students to have a shot at finishing their projects, and if you want to be able to answer their questions.

Then I am taking a Newark Museum workshop on May 21 or 22, I forget which, in greeting card paper engineering, which I am really excited about.  I love pop-ups and want to learn as many "movements" as possible.

There is art I would like to get accomplished at home as well, but that is more difficult . . .

And switching from human art to nature's art - my backyard garden, raggedy though it be, is so fragrant I almost feel like swooning - lilacs, wisteria, and fragrant honeysuckle combine to create an intensity and sweetness of scent that I could get drunk on.

The roses are waiting in the wings:  heavenly-scented Heritage chief among them, a luminescent pink "Old Rose" from David Austin, creator of some of the most incredible looking roses around.  I also love my pink Eden rose, with large, cabbagey blooms.  I have the "old reliable" Blaze, a brilliant red rose, as well as a pink semi-double which blooms and blooms, a red and white stripe I adore,  a lavender rose, which like most purples is quite finicky and now sports a sucker, and last, a red, orange, yellow, and pink combination rose with a name from Disney which now is in near-complete shade, thanks to my neighbor's uncared for trees on either side of my yard which, growing unpruned for years, now meet and intertwine over my yard, making it more and more difficult to find a place where most perennials will be able to flower.

Almost everyday I stroll into my backyard and sniff the flowers ecstatically, and feel that if one has such beauty available, who needs material frills?

Art Opera Opening

Tonight I went to the opening dinner of Art Opera, the fantastic new art retreat in Redbank, New Jersey.

WOW!  And YUM!  What fabulous decorations and colors and imagination!The dining room looked like a magical seaside fairyland, with pink and aqua and sparkles everywhere; beach umbrelettes, sand pails, vintage images - it was enchanting.  The dinner was absolutely first-rate and delicious.  I admit that I am a dessert person - there was an individual ramekin with a warm brownie, strawberry ice cream, and a drizzle of strawberry sauce.  Really, really good - not too sweet, it really made my sweet tooth vibrate in ecstacy.

Incredible goodie bag, too.  Too much to write about now - have to hit the sack because tomorrow the workshops begin.

A special mention, though - Jenny Heide (sp?) was a standout of friendliness and style - she has candy pink hair that made my heart stop, it was so gorgeous.  What a talented person - I'll include a link to her blog and website tomorrow or the day after.

And kudos and congrats to the organizer, Lisa, and her sidekicks.  May they be successful and rewarded for all their hard work, and may Art Opera continue forever!

Life, Love, Art

I have an art retreat the day after tomorrow; a much-anticipated event which unfortunately requires planning in advance and considerable amounts of organization.  Not my strong points.

I find myself still picking up supplies, ferretting through the mountains of craft supplies I already own, planning last-minute nifty projects despite the fact there is clearly no time to even begin them, let alone finish them - in other words:  SNAFU - Situation Normal, All Fehpoodelt Up.

The fact is, there are things in life which are more important than being 100% prepared for an event, and in my case, being with Twin when he needs me is an easy winner.  He lost his father about a week ago, and his mother had died about a year ago; a lot of loss in a short period of time. 

So I may not have the skirt with the mermaid appliques I had been planning for the festive opening dinner, and I may not be able to complete more than one mermaid piece of jewelry to wear. 

But I was with Twin for his father's funeral, when he needed me, and deepened closeness and connection I feel for him has a significance and a beauty which more tawdry satisfactions cannot hope to impart.  Sometimes satisfying one's heart and doing the right thing are the same.  That was certainly the case for me here.

Now, if only I could figure out what to do with those mermaid appliques when I get back from the retreat . . .

Ah well, for now they get added to the teetering mountain of containers crammed full of craft supplies in my so-called studio,  which more closely resembles a grubby storage facility.  Someday, though, I will be in dire need of mermaid appliques, and who'll have the last laugh then?