Sunset for Photo Friday. Taken in the San Juan Islands, Washington State USA 

I went to the Art With Heart mix and mingle at the Harbor Steps Apartments tonight and had a lovely time.  This organization does SUCH great work with kids.  Their auction is coming up in November and Sabrina Ward Harrison will be speaking.  It’s a worthy cause worth investing in. 

I’m an introvert with strong extrovert skills and am sometimes challenged at events when I go alone and don’t know a soul.   While I was there tonight, I met a talented photographer and graphic designer name Jonathan.  He was warm and easygoing which always make it easier to connect.  I’m grateful for our chat.   He knows a lot about the business side of graphic design which I think is really helpful as a client.  His photography is beautiful and reasonably priced.  His site is worth a visit.

Tonight, I went to a screening of Quick Brown Fox at the Henry Art Museum.  It is a very touching film done by a brave woman, Ann Hedreen of White Noise Productions.  It is an account, in the first person, of a woman whose mother is dying of Alzheimer’s Disease.  During the Q&A, I asked her if she found the process to be therapeutic.  She said she found it was not only very healing for her but for her entire family.  She said producing the movie helped them learn to talk about it. 

My grandfather died of Alzheimer’s and my partner’s father is currently dying of it.  It is tragic and the number of people stricken with it grows every year.  You can help get this movie seen and heard by more people so that the research can continue.  As Mother Teresa said, “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

The courage of this woman to document her struggle with her mother’s dying is tugging at me tonight.  I do believe what wounds us the most is what we bring forward to the world as healing.  I see this every day.  I believe strongly in the power of art to heal.  That’s why I’m volunteering with Art With Heart, an organization that uses art to help children in crisis.  I became an Expressive Arts Therapist because I believe in this work.  I feel so inspired to do more because of people like Ann.  Bless her.  May her wonderful film be seen throughout the world.

Wishful thinking…

I am masking my face at this very moment with the kind of mask that hardens on your face.   It’s suppose to “lift” it.   I’m not sure if it does but it sure does SOMETHING.  Anyway, my 8 year old was wandering aimlessly about as she has all week and I suggested that perhaps she read one of her summer reading books that have been neglected for awhile.  She replied (grudgingly), “Okay.  I thought you couldn’t talk with that mask on.” 

I remember thinking things that like about my Mom.  I find it all very amusing.

This Casablanca Lily has the most amazing scent. It’s right outside the window of my studio and smells especially yummy at night (like many white flowers). I’m going to have a poetry reading, wine drinking, patio party this weekend so we can all drink in the essence of these lilies and each other by the light of the full moon. I wish this was a scratch and sniff photo. You would be in heaven. 

This morning, cool salty air was blowing in from the Sound. The pungent, sea air mixed with the delicious scent of pine completely filled my senses and uplifted my Spirit. As I stood at my window breathing in the fragrance, gazing out at the water and sipping my coffee, I thought of how at one time, those were the scents that the Northwest First Nations people woke up to every day. There were no petroleum or plastic smells. Just the organic bounty that nature brought to them. I feel grateful for my warm house, this computer that connects me to the world and my modern conveniences. I am equally grateful for the simple pleasures of smooth rocks under my feet, the scent of the morning air or the feel of moss under my naked skin in the forest. Life is so exquisitely beautiful, I ache some days.

Random bits from my magnetic poetry board.  I have “goddess” and “personal ad” words currently up.

“Kinky Creative Bisexual Voluptuous Muscular Female Seeks Spiritual Erotic Yoga Sex With Beautiful Sensual Male”

“Sacrifice Work And Just Love”

“Bow Down To Sex Goddess”

“Earth Chick Is Very Nice To Chocolate Body”

“Revere Mother Earth”

“Make Eternal Love”

“I Celebrate Unique Friends”

“Hurricane Diva With Taboo Appetite For Cliche’ Affair”

“War is Odd”

I just sent a audioblog of me singing “Summertime”.  I’ve been singing that song for as long as I can remember.  Good times.

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…