WHO AM I?

Isn't this a question we all ask outselves from time-to-time? I know I have wondered about this almost all my life and have questioned it on many levels.

Today, as I listen to the news (of which I don't really like to do but it seems like it is necessary to try to sort things out and try and answer that age-old question "Why", I try and understand about someone else's motives, someone else's thoughts. But we may never know. What I do know is about me and my motives, my thoughts, my process about trying to figure out the questions that I have about "ME", because essentially, that is all I can ever know. I can never know someone else no matter how well I know them or think that I understand them.

The above piece was the third posting on Seth Apter's blog and is featured in his blog this morning among many other people who sent in artwork to Seth. You can view my work and the work of many others there at www.thealteredpage.blogspot.comwww.thealteredpage.blogspot.com. For now, I leave you with the explanation that I wrote for Seth.
"I am living on the west coast. Torn in many directions. Conflicted, fearful, anxious, unsure of myself. Searching new directions. Searching new paths."

What I do know about "ME" is that I am happy that I found art in my life. I am happy that I am able to express my self in a healthy way with my art. I am able to question "ME" but throwing a bit of paint and objects up on a canvas, sewing threads with my grandmother's treadle sewing machine. It helps me make sense of the why's. Why am I hear? Why do I do that? Why does someone else do that?

Life is so confusing and complex but if you have a healthy outlet to express yourself you really have a platform in which you can ask the world all these questions. Mary-Helen-Fernandez Stewart is right "Art Saves Lives". I feel so lucky to have this outlet to explore and ask all the questions I need to or want to. I don't always get the answers I am looking for but I do have the opportunity to explore and question. That seems to be enough. Thanks Seth for allowing us to question ourselves and giving us a healthy place to do it. I am forever grateful!

IN MEMORIAM

We're almost half-way through December already and it became clear to me that in the past year (since December of 2011) I have lost so many people. And the list is actually longer if I would consider the people that I heard about but I didn't personally know. But, I wanted to at least put the names down of those that I knew and loved who passed away so quietly, so gracefully, so loved in 2012. I will never forget any of you.

JACK ANDERSON---FIRE CHIEF

MARY GULLEY PACHECO---FRIEND SINCE HIGH SCHOOL

KELLY KAWASHIMA---FRIEND AND FELLOW BASEBALL PLAYER

SANDY--CO-WORKER AT HALLMARK

DELBERT-CO-WORKER AT PLACER COUNTY

KIRBY ROOT--FRIEND AND MENTOR

KEN COMPTON--CO-WORKER AT PLACER COUNTY

VINCE CHIODO-HUSBAND TO COUSIN KATHLEEN

TOM MC LELLEN--FRIEND AT CHURCH

RUBY MAE--GREAT GRANDMOTHER TO NATALIE AND MAE

UNCLE CY--MY LAST REMAINING RELATIVE ON PATERNAL SIDE

TRAVIS--HUSBAND AND FATHER OF TWO

TRACI--DAUGHTER TO CINDY

HERMAN OSORIO--CO-WORKER AT HALLMARK AND DEAR FRIEND

JOHN O'NEAL--LIFE-LONG FRIEND SINCE CHILDHOOD

JOHN HEMPHILL--NEIGHBOR

JOYCE MC LELLEN--WIFE TO TOM AND FRIEND AT CHURCH

HAWKEYE SHARPE--FRIEND AT CHURCH

STEVE KESSLER--FRIEND AND FELLOW FIRE-FIGHTER

ARMAND FENECK--FATHER TO JANET AND JUDY, FRIEND TO MANY OTHERS

WHAT IF...

...you woke up one morning and everything had changed? Would you know what to do, who to thank, who to make amends to (and on and on?)

Would you want your life to wither away and dry up, wizened and wrinkled?

These thoughts came to me today. I guess because of all the current happenings in my life I have had the chance to think more about them than usual. But, just like any other day...I do think about them a lot. Some people refer to me as being negative. I view myself as being a realist. I think about the possibilities, prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. At least then I am prepared mentally...I have an idea of how I will respond.

But, I have diverged from my original intent here. What I intended was to offer my apologies to any (and all) I have ever harmed or hurt in any way, ask for forgiveness, and hope for the best. I don't mean that if I had a stroke tomorrow I would want anyone I am not speaking to at the present time to feel guilty in any way and rush to my side and help me...to the contrary. I would wish things to remain as they are but have them be aware that I forgive them (as I hope they would forgive me too) and know that life has just happened in a way that sometimes we all don't really understand.

We may not always understand the reasons why or how, but life has a way of working itself out in sometimes mysterious ways. Does that make me a bad person? Does that make YOU a bad person? Absolutely not. It just makes us human. And that's all anyone can ever ask...to be human is to be real.

It's nice to know that a person can wake up one day and realize that it is an important time to say what needs to be said. One just never knows what each day or moment holds. Take advantage of the time you have and say all that needs to be said, either in person or virtually. Eventually it will get to the right person at the right time. And if not...at least YOU said what needed to be said. And that's all that one can hope for.

Don't wither away thinking that someone else has to make the first move. Take a step to preserve what it is you really need to say or do. Hips can be mended and so can hearts. Don't wither on the vine.

IT'S ALL GOOD

Yesterday I was one of the featured artists on Seth Apter's blog. I have posted about him quite often here and have purchased some of his art for myself. He is one creative person, that's for sure. And such a supporter of so many artisits out there.

You can go to his blog to read what the question was that he posted that prompted the work that I (and so many others) sent in to him. Each piece was 5 X 5 and we relinquished the art to him. No big deal really. Except that I have always had a hard time relinquishing my work. I don't like to let go of it, I don't like to show it to others, I just like to do it and somehow, I always feel really connected to what I create and get quite possessive of it. So, when I say "no big deal" really...it is tongue-in-cheek.

I enjoy the process of creating art but in this period of my life it seems that the ideas are flowing but the work is not. I babysit my granddaughter and by the end of the day...I am exhausted. Not much time left for art. But, I file away the ideas either in a sketch book or in my brain, and hope that one day I will have the time to really devote to what I would like to say. In the meantime, I do the best I can to post things (occasionally) to my blog. That seems to have fallen by the wayside lately too. With Bill having emergency surgery on his hip and my having to do so much of the stuff that needs to be done around here (although as I am typing this I hear the vacuum running in the living room...he is getting better really quickly) there just isn't much time left.

I guess what I am trying to say in this post is that sometimes our creativity takes a turn. I try to make every moment count creatively, even if I am not actually "producing" a piece. I try to live my life creatively. I take photos, I work in my yard, I sing to my granddaughter. These are all part of the creative process, just tweaked in a different direction. But they are all part of the process; part of the whole.

Create what you love and the rest will follow, right? It's ALL good!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We all have so much to be thankful for, each and every one of us. I am making a mental list right now and I imagine if each and every one of us did exactly that, we would be amazed at how long the list really is!!

Here's hoping that your list is long, that it continues to grow, and that you never forget to keep adding to it!!

THE AMAZING BIONIC MAN

Do you remember that commercial on television about The Energizer Bunny who just keeps ticking because he is fully charged with an Energizer battery? Well, I equate B to that same Energizer Bunny. He is the Amazing Bionic Man who has surgeries and just springs back better than ever. Perhaps you remember when I posted this photo of the implant he had placed in his finger.

 Or this photo of the knee replacement he had a while back when his knee was really bothering him. All those years of climbing trees for a living started taking their toll on his body and the pain was no longer an option.

Fast forward to last Friday, November 16. We had spent the entire week doing things around the house that we have been putting off because we watch our granddaughter every day. It's pretty hard to devote time to her and also to the house so we choose the one that's the most important: the granddaughter. 

Our community has a great program where they let you bring pine needles to the transfer station FOR FREE and they will haul them away for you. It alleviates the smoke that seems to linger in the air and I don't really want to contribute to air pollution any more than I have to. But, they are only open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. So Friday was our planned day to load up all the needles we had raked from the previous storm and haul them in the trailer and pick-up truck. Everything was loaded except for 4 last piles at the very end of the property on our way out.

We stopped, B got out (I stayed in the truck waiting) and he started to pick them up and throw them into the bed of the truck and trailer. All of a sudden I heard him yell. When I opened up the door and asked him what was wrong, he said that he had fallen and he needed help. I went to the rear of the pick up and looked and by the grimmace on his face I knew that something was really wrong. He proceeded to tell me that he thought that he had broken his leg. He had tripped over the tongue of the trailer and came down with all his weight on the left leg. I ran to my neighbor's, called 911 and waited for the fire truck and paramedics to arrive. Soon, the ambulance arrived and they loaded him up on the gurney and took him to the ER. Hours later, he was told that yes, he had indeed broken his hip and would need an entire hip replacement. (Not a very good photo of the hip but I think you can see the break)

I am always amazed at how quickly things can change. You can never be prepared for what in one second can change an entire life, an entire week or day, or plans that you had made for the coming week. Nothing in life is ever guaranteed. So we have to grab every moment we can and appreciate those around us while we are in the moment. As I have said before (and heard so many times before) we only have NOW. How clearly that was made to me on Friday.

Moments like this really make you keenly aware of who in your life is really important to you and who really cares about you. We have received so many phone calls from friends that would be here in a moment's notice if we needed them. Of that I am sure. And we have received emails and messages on Facebook from people all over too, not just close by. Friends in Australia, on the east coast, in Oregon. These are people who really care because they took the time to make a phone call or send me a message. That is all it really takes. A couple of seconds out of a life to really give of yourself. 

Life is all about choices, isn't it!! We can choose to be kind and thoughtful, we can choose to be silent, we can choose to share our love and our friendship or we can choose to hold grudges and perpetuate the hatred and animosity that has come before us. When I watch current events on television it is so painfully obvious to me about how easy it is to just quit fighting, love one another, and not be greedy or hateful. The little children that I see being carried out of bombed buildings make makes it so obvious to me. 

I think of all the things in life that we all choose to argue and fuss about: politics, religion, money, land, employment, material things...how important are ANY of these things if you don't have a life to enjoy them? Going through this emergency with B has made me painfully aware of how unnecessary it is to "fuss and fight". 

Remember that Beattle's song where the lyrics say: Life is very short and there's no time, for fussing and fighting my friend. Just a few short words in a song that make such a poignant statement. Why waste so much time when in a second everything can be taken away from you? Why not make that phone call, send a card, write that letter, send an anonymous gift while you have the time? This is the month for being thankful. 

On Thursday we will all celebrate Thanksgiving. Why not only be thankful but also exercise the second part of the word and be giving? We only have this one life (and sometimes we are only given one chance) to really make a difference. My friend Lela has been gone for a few years now (November 18) and she helped me in more ways that I can ever say in words. I am thankful for the friendship that she showed me all my life and B's accident on Friday has helped me remember what is really important to me. You can't just hope that people know you care: you have to show you care. The Amazing Bionic man has made this painfully clear to me. I have the X-ray to prove it!!

OPEN AND CLOSE

I wanted

the past to go away, I wanted

to leave it, like another country; I wanted

my life to close, and open

like a hinge, like a wing, like the part of the song

where it falls

down over the rocks: an explosion, a discovery; 

I wanted

to hurry into the work of my life; I wanted to know

whoever I was, I was

alive

for a little while.

                                          Mary Oliver  Dream Work

COLLABORATION

I feel so lucky to have a piece of my art published on Seth Apter's blog thealteredpage.blogspot.com. Seth explains what the collaborative art project is better than I can explain it here but basically, he sent an open invitation to artists to contribute to his project with certain perameters. Some entered all 3, some did not. And some were selected for the magazine article that was published (and available on bookstands currently) and some did not. I was not one of the ones selected for the magazine but what a thrill to see my piece on his blog this morning! Just a different level of acceptance I suppose. I am so thankful to Seth for all that he does for the art community. If you haven't been following him or don't know anything about him...go check him, his work, and the work of others he supports each month at his blog. He is currently holding an auction for Hurrican Sandy victims! Thank you Seth!

 This is the piece that I entered. It is nice to see it on his blog since one of the requirements of entereing his "call for art" was that we would not get the piece (s) back. I guess I have always had a hard time "releasing" my art. I tend to want to hold onto it for some reason (I think I know the reasons but too long and involved to discuss here) so this was a great project for me to do because I had to relinquish everything: the art, the possibility of "acceptance", the meaning of the art itself, and on and on. In more ways than one I thank Seth for this opportunity.

Highway 49 (North)

For some reason I cannot figure out how to turn my photos around in Blogger. Anyone have any help? 

Anyway, last Sunday I drove up to Nevada City for an Altar show that had been going since October 27th. This altar show called Renewal and Remembrance, is an annual exhibition inspired by "Day of the Dead" and primarily honors departed loved ones. Some of these were absolutely wonderful and full of imagination. They ranged from serious to playful, and some of them provoked laughter while others brought tears. No matter what they were insightful. It was a free show and many of the makers offered blank pages for the viewers to write there thoughts, hopes and dreams. 

Some of the writings on this specific altar were quotes from Einstein and Chief Seattle.  Very thought-provoking, it referenced what we, as humans are responsible for in the Tree of Life. "May we learn to protect, cherish, nourish and preserve "The Tree of Life" so it may grow in peace and harmony."

The altar below was by Kathryn Eldredge and it was titled: Mon Pere. She merely states that it is "another piece in a continuing, on-going series about my father, Kelly Eldredge. It was made of wood, plexi-glass, photo transfers on silk tissue, thread, and gauze. Very thought-provoking, to be sure!

There were altars to GMO label laws, altars representing hunger in Nevada County,brain-injury support group, children's altars, Eggs (representing life, creativity and transformation). There was an altar to breast feeding and even an altar to bad art!

This time of the year is filled with things to do. I often have to make a choice between so many things that I am afraid that I will miss something spectacular. But, there is only so much time in a day, so much time in a weekend. And, ultimately, what you choose to do or see is exactly what you are meant to see or do I suppose. You need to keep your eyes open and experience the small details that arise. There are often some of the most remarkable things to see once you open your eyes and just look. It's all a matter of perspective, right?

HIGHWAY 49 REVISITED (SOUTH)

CENTER OF SUTTER CREEK

FALL SEEMS TO HAVE JUST ARRIVED IN THIS TOWN

MY HELPER, MY FRIEND, MY LOVE

WE WALKED THE LOWER PART OF SUTTER CREEK, AMAZED AT ALL THE WONDERFUL HOMES WE SAW ON THE QUIET STREETS.

AROUND EVERY CORNER WE SAW HOME AFTER HOME THAT "CALLED" TO US.

THIS WAS JUST ONE WEEKEND AFTER HALLOWEEN AND THE REMNANTS OF THE HOLIDAY WERE EVERYWHERE TO BE FOUND.

QUIET FRONT PORCHES, SHUTTERS, FALLEN LEAVES. NOTHING MAKES ME HAPPIER THAN THESE SIMPLE PLEASURES.

AND DID I MENTION WHITE PICKET FENCES AND ARBORS?

THIS HOME HAD HISTORICAL VALUE. IT WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY GOLD HISTORY DAYS  IN THE TIME OF LELAND STANFORD. 

THE LAWN WAS COVERED IN A CARPET OF LEAVES AND THEY WERE FALLING FROM THE TREE AS I STOOD THERE PHOTOGRAPHING. NOTHING MAKES ME HAPPIER THAN THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. I WAIT ALL YEAR FOR THIS "SPARK" THAT NATURE PUTS INTO PLAY. I SUPPOSE IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG FOR AUTUMN, I WOULDN'T APPRECIATE IT AS MUCH AS I DO WHEN IT FINALLY ARRIVES. 

I KNOW THAT IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AUTUMN HAS ALREADY COME AND GONE BUT HERE IN THE GOLD COUNTRY, IT SEEMS TO JUST BE REACHING ITS PEAK. ON SATURDAY WE WERE SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 49 AND ON SUNDAY I WAS NORTH ON HIGHWAY 49. I CAN ATTEST THAT BOTH DIRECTIONS WERE GLORIOUS. NORTH PHOTOS WILL BE POSTED SOON. HERE'S HOPING THAT WHEREVER YOU ARE, THAT YOU ARE ENJOYING WHAT NATURE HAS GIVEN TO YOU IN THE MOMENT.

..."The world was beautiful when looked at in this way---without seeking, so simple, so childlike. The moon and the stars were beautiful, the brook, the shore, the forest and rock, the goat and the golden beetle, the flower and butterfly were beautiful. It was beautiful and pleasant to go through the world like that, so childlike, so awakened, so concerned with the immediate, without any distrust."  (page 38---Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse)

WORDS OF WISDOM

This from "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse:

"When someone is seeking," said Siddhartha, "it happens quite easily that he only sees the thing that he is seeking; that he is unable to find anything, unable to absorb anything, because he is only thinking of the thing he is seeking, beccause he has a goal, because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal. You, O worthy one, are perhaps indeed a seeker, for in striving towards your goal, you do not see many things that are under your nose."

FROM CITY TO OCEAN AND ALL THINGS IN BETWEEN

The Pacific International Quilt Show was held in Santa Clara, Calif. last weekend and I was lucky enough to be able to take the time from babysitting and make a trip down. I was amazed at the diversity that I found there. Yet, being and international show, that is what one would expect. From this quilt about fish

to this quilt about shirts

(Close-up)

to a quilt that looks as if it is folded but it wasn't...it was just the way the lights and shadows were interpreted in the fabrics 

This quilt (sorry about the sideways display, I couldn't get Blogger to post it properly) was made entirely of cheesecloth and mounted on black fabric. Talk about ingenuity!

There were quilts that were so colorful and contemporary too. This quilt was just so happy. 

City scapes

Leaves of every color.

And a quilt that looked tribal from far away and when I got up close:

I could see it wasn't fabric at all but some sort of embroidery technique that made the different patterns on the background fabrics.

Amazing!

And what would you do with that stash of old buttons? Well, make a sunflower quilt, of course! 

The day was fun. It had just rained the night before and was actually still drizzling in the Bay Area when I arrived. But it was such a nice change to smell the moisture in the air, to see the Autumn colors beginning to take over on the hillsides all the way there. Things looked and smelled and felt fresh. It was nice to see something different for a change. I think that it gave me the necessary boost to my creative spirit that I needed. I'm off to explore and create. How about you?

What does compassion look like? How does it feel? In light of this being Anti-bullying week and all of the specials that have been airing on the local channels here in my part of the world, it is only fitting that my spiritual center has started a seven week course in compassion, studying the book by former nun Karen Armstrong titled: Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.

At www.charterforcompassion.org you can read many different people's philosophies regarding compassion and you can also sign a charter and affirm how you would like to see compassion begin in your life and in your world. It begins with each one of us

Here is the charter if you would like to take the time to read it rather than go to the site.

Charter for Compassion

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathic ally from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish,  exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others---even our enemies---is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women---to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion---to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate---to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures---to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity---to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings---even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.

PHOTO FROM INDIA

Here's another photo from my relative in German, Gerhard Buthmann, of a temple in Udaipur. This is specifically for you Uma. You commented that you would be going to Udaipur. I imagine you are about on your way to the most wonderful journey.

FOR MEL "UMA" NIE

Every year my cousin Gerhard Buthman sends me a beautiful hand-made calendar. It is always photos from his travels that grace the pages of his calendar and this one, for the month of Oktober 2012 is especially beautiful. I thought that I would scan it and send it off into the internet for my friend Melanie, who is also known to many of us as Uma. She has become a dear, dear friend to me and even though I have never met her in person, I KNOW HER. I truly know her. And she knows me. Happy Trails to you Uma and J. May the Winds carry you to India and grace you with love and safety. I can't wait to see what India has to show you.

AUTUMN COLORS

When Autumn rolls around, it's all about the colors of the season that really make me happy. Each year I buy a new pumpkin for my collection and try to display them in a wonderful arrangement someplace in the house. This year with the baby being mobile it has made it more of a challenge for me but I put things up so that we could enjoy them and so could she.

 I love these pumpkins heads with bodies and also try and find a new unique one each year to add to my collection. The second one from the left is my new purchase this year. I love the black and white stripes on this one's head and stand. And he has some glittery head-dress too.

Yesterday the baby was not feeling well but she still manages to keep herself entertained---this time with her tissue. I guess you have to try to learn to blow your own nose at some point, right?

And to add to the "colors", yesterday our new rugs were delivered and we placed them in the living room. I love the Folk Art and the vibrant colors. Some might think a bit "too" much color but all those colors make me happy. Really happy!

And what could be better to be happy about and smile than losing a tooth? Natalie's smile could pass for a Jack O'Lantern, don't you think...what with that crooked top tooth and all?

Happy Autumn colors to you all. I hope you are all smiling!

POLITICS AS USUAL?

Last week while on our usual daily walk in the morning, we noticed that someone had taken one of our neighbor's signs out of the ground, bent it all up, and threw it up in a ditch far from his driveway. We retrieved it and placed it on his front porch but we were not able to talk to him and tell him what we had noticed. A few days later, we noticed another sign had been placed, this time with an American flag beneath it and a small little note was attached to the top right-hand corner with the words on it that read: 

"Secret message inside"

Well, the curiosity was just too much so we opened the note to see what the secret message inside was. And it said "I forgive you". That's all. Just forgiveness!

Isn't it incredible in this day and age and living in a country that we profess to be "free" that a person is not allowed to place a sign with their own political preference on their own property? Granted, it is there, right on the road, for everyone who passes to notice but that's exactly the point, isn't it? We should be allowed to voice our opinions and preferences about whatever we choose, as long as it isn't harming someone else. And most amazing to me is that despite the hatred that was exhibited by the person (or persons) who just could not stand the fact that someone might have a different opinion than them, they are still forgiven. Maybe not forgotten, but forgiven. That is the real message in this.

THE FIRST OF THE SEASON

Every year since I was in my early twenties, my friend at the time, Alice and I used to have a bet who would be the first to hear (or see) the birds flying south. Each year we would each try to be the first one to call the other and say "I saw them". That went on for years and years and it got to be a real competition with the two of us too.

Alice moved away to a town much farther north in California than I am located here. I would imagine being farther north one would see them that much sooner. But Alice and I lost touch years ago after she moved and I haven't talked to her since. That doesn't mean that I still don't think about her...or the competition between the two of us both Fall and Spring when the birds fly in either direction to go either north or south.

Today, as I was sitting outside on the back deck enjoying my vacation and some quiet time, I heard their distant call in the air. I ran inside and got my camera and this was about as good a photo as I could get spur of the moment. But, who cares? Just having the photo helps me mark the day...September 26, 2012...when I first heard the sounds of what has become known to me as a distant reminder of the up-coming season. These were the first of the season for me. Perhaps there have been others who arrived earlier but as far as I can tell (or hear) these were the first of many more to follow.

Happy First-of -the-Season, Alice. Did I win this year or did you? I guess I'll never know. In my mind, I won (until proven differently).

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX HAPPENINGS

I love this time of year!! I can feel it coming for weeks before it actually officially arrives, but Autumn and all it brings with it is one of my most favorite times of the year.

Yesterday, there were so many things to choose from I had a hard time deciding which to participate in and which to bypass. But the Pet Parade at The Flower Farm is always so special that I had to take a trip down there with my camera in hand and snap a few photos of the great animals.

Some people might object to dressing up animals but looking at most of these animals yesterday, I don't think any of these minded it one bit! There was a black cat with a chicken hat on. Cats and birds don't usually get along so well. Not so yesterday!

Annie and John Bowler's dog loves to get dressed up. Annie told me that she sits on the counter-top just waiting to be dressed and dances and parades around as if she is a real show dog.

This great black and white dog didn't mind a bit either, as far as I could tell. I never noticed her shaking her head to rid herself of the hat nor pulling on  the leash to get away. Somehow I think they know they are dressed up and "looking good". This dog is the "Honey Boo Boo" of the parade I think.

After I left the Pet Parade I stopped by the Farmer's Market that happens weekly in town and noticed this Emu in the back of a horse trailer. It was more than happy to have me take its photo. It was fun to see this great face appear out the side of the trailer just as I was walking by. It's definitely not a sight you see everyday, even if you live in the country.

Since it was the Autumnal Equinox, the Spirit Drum Circle was held at Eden Valley Cottage just down the road from where I live. It was great to get together with a group of like-minded people, chant, drum, sing songs, tell stories, and sit by a camp fire. Eden Valley Cottage is one of the most spiritual places and always feels so blessed and special when you are there. A calm passes over you as you walk, drum in hand, over the wooden bridge toward the camp fire and greet the rest of the circle. We passed around the Talking Stick and each of us was allowed to say what was on our minds and our hearts. I felt truly blessed to be in the presence of such wonderful people. I am looking forward to the Winter Solstice in December. 

This time of year---the Equinox---is certainly a special time of year. I love that the root of the word stands for equality, for balance, for tranquility of mind or mood. 

Our wish at the campfire was for equality for all human beings, for love and compassion to all, for health and happiness for all. It is good to be in the presence of people who want to celebrate the moon, the stars (campfires in the sky of our ancestors), the frogs who seem to be developing a resistance to what is plaguing their existence, the crickets whose voice was so prominent in the background, the sacred owl, and LOVE. 

"Tell me, what is it that you plan to do 

With your one wild and precious life?"

Mary Oliver  "The Summer Day"