Being Mindful, Telling Stories

Since 2011 I have participated with Ali Edwards' One Little Word. 

 

In 2011 my word was Celebrate!

The word was always with me, in small ways and large.  It was glorious.  The next year I chose "Create" first, then switched to "Abundance."  What with one thing or another I never really did much with either word (or concept, I'm sorry to say).  I never even got around to choosing a word for 2013.  Struggling as I do to think of the new year starting in January didn't help either.

As a person who loves words, One Little Word calls to me.  And for 2014 I was determined to find a way to have a word that spoke to me and could begin in January when Ali's class begins.  Last September, when my year begins, I started thinking about words for 2014.
 

 I find it interesting the nouns that push me along.  My kids are great at shoving me in directions I need to go, but can't always see.  Travel always opens my eyes to possibilities.  It is easier for me to see where I want to go when I am somewhere else.  And recently the waistband of my favorite pants told me it was time to exercise.  

I began Yoga classes in early December.  For me, everything about Yoga is spiritual, ordered, thoughtful, balanced.  I wanted to bring those qualities into every part of my life.  I started thinking --how can I live a deliberate life?  Is there a word for that?  I stated my intention for a couple Yoga classes as listen for my word.  And I started what I always think of as fun, Library research!  I searched dictionaries and thesauri online.  I found a possible word, so I then went to the library mostly cuz I love looking up words in the OED.  But after dictionaries I branched out to other reference books.  Oh the things you can find in the reference room on Art, Literature, Religion, Education, Psychology, etc.

I determined on the word Mindful.  It was perfect in almost every way.  It just wasn't fun, jazzy, spendiferous.  It wasn't celebrate, the word that so perfectly defined my best year in memory.  But OK, Mindful is a grand word and maybe it was ok to have a calm, quiet word.  Do I want to have a calm, quiet life?  NO.  But maybe this is what I needed.  So I checked the catalog for books on mindful/mindfulness and I found Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally by Patti Digh.

In the preface, Digh states, "...we make sense of our lives through story.  Writer Flannery O'Connor said, 'A story is a way to say something that can't be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is.  You tell a story because a statement would be inadequate.' " (p. xi)

And right then, reading that, I knew what 2014 was going to be about for me ~ being mindful and telling stories.  Stories are spendiferous!  They can be jazzy and fun.  They can also be mindful, kind, connected, artistic.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what this brings to my life next year.  How it may teach me to share stories in ways meaningful for the listener/reader, to find more real life connections, to help me believe it is alright to tell my stories.

Satuday Flea Markets and a Little Pink

I am posting this as part of Pink Saturday.  And while the pink in this post is scattered about, there certainly are a lot of Saturdays!  To see who else is posting for Pink Saturday, go here.  And as always, many thanks to Bev for her support of this lovely group!
 A REQUEST:

Dear readers, would you please let me know, in the comment section, what you think of the size of the photos.   It's ok on my computer screen, but what about yours?  Thanks for the help!

I have always loved attending flea markets.  And until 3 summers ago, I was there to buy.  But starting in 2011, I set up with my friend Amy and tried selling at flea markets.  To be honest, selling is not as much fun as buying.  It requires tables and tents and boxes of stuff and getting up at 5 am and worrying about the weather.  There is also the packing and unpacking and listening to what people think of you and your stuff.  Sometimes buyers are lovely and then sometimes. . . 

But always the other dealers are wonderful!  They are a community I am glad to be a part of!

This summer we got to be next to friends at one of the fleas and that was a lot of fun!

 Setting up with French linens.

Pink Linens

 One Venue

And another

 

My Booth

 

Amy's booth.

She curates a collection of fabulous jewelry and displays to perfection!

Button, button, who's got the button?

I have a decided weakness for buttons and love showing them off in these wonderful dishes.

Moving them around and in and out of my car does tends to spill them all sorts of places!

Washi Tape, my favorite thing to sell!

Some of my artwork

It really is fun to look at these photos and notice how much of this stuff has sold this year!
Last Saturday we did our last flea market set up.
And as always we end with a hug and the words, "Another excellent flea market adventure!"
Until next year. . . 

A Walking Retreat

More pictures than words this post

This beautiful image is from a walking retreat I took a week and a half ago.

I recently joined a women's business group and met Helen, one of the members.  She gave out flyers at our last meeting about walking retreats she leads.  This one sounded wonderful and fit in my schedule.  So on Saturday I headed out to Nickerson State Park to "step into my dream life!"  Helen led our group of 3 women.

In the background of this photo you can see another pond, 

that's where we started, about 5 minutes apart so it was a solitary walk.

 Our journey began as we stepped onto the path.

 It was so beautiful and quiet.

Our instructions were to notice our surroundings with all our senses.

We stopped by this pond to write about what ideas and thoughts had come to us on our walk.

I've been thinking about my challenges making art this summer.

This particular walk was perfect.  The trees, plants, terrain reminded me of forest trails at summer camp, backpacking in The Sierra.  All getting me in touch with my younger self who wanted to be an artist and could see my whole life stretch ahead of me

Back on the path.

We could choose to walk alone or with the others.

I choose to walk alone.

 

 We stopped again at another pond for more reflection

and to write a letter to ourselves reminding us of the insights we had gained.

I think art should be as easy as breathing!

So, what stands in the way?

  I loved the discussion and am so grateful for the input of these 3 women that day!

Back on the path again,

We headed back to our trailhead and the end of the retreat.

What a perfect morning.

I walked in a beautiful setting.

The company was inspiring.

And I have been able to put into practice some of the ideas shared with me.

I can't wait for next Spring when Helen will do this again.

Information on Helen's retreats

I Have A Dream

It is the 50th Anniversary of

 The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

August 28, 1963

There was more than one noteworthy speech. 

John Lewis, 

representing the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee had prepared a fiery speech.  It was passionate, demanding, impatient as young people always are in the face of injustice.  It was toned down at the request of Dr. King, but you can hear it read as it was originally written.

Martin Luther King, Jr was introduced as the moral leader of our country.  

He then gave a speech which changed lives.  It is beautiful, passionate, powerful, and hopeful.  It looks to the future.  It is also honest in stating the injustices that must be addressed.  Some of his dreams have become reality, some have not.  And it is our responsibility as citizens of this rather amazing country to listen to his dreams, make them our own and keep working to bring freedom to every citizen.

Facts you might not know

The Speech

Pretty Pillowcases

 Pair of Cotton Pillowcases

White machine embroidery & eyelet

White lace trim

 Center Medallion

 Side Medallion

 Pair of Cotton Pillowcases

Pale Blue machine embroidery

Scallop border

 Center Design

Side Design

The pillowcases are both white.  The bottom case looks a bit blue in the photograph, but that's just the way it photographed.