Rainbows & Hummingbirds

Some years ago, I discovered a perfect time to water my gardens. Perched high aloft on our deck, the forest shades my beds while the hose water prisms with sunlight. I no longer "have to go water the gardens", rather I "get to go make rainbows". This year, in one particular spot a young, female hummingbird joins me. She watches from the perimeter, seemingly to make sure I acknowledge her. Only after I have done so does she fly into the spray & dance in the shower. She alights on a young sumac tree, each morning where she flaps & preens. What a joy !!
I am reminded of a sentiment of Sarah ban Breathnach: "'Simple Abundance' has enabled me to encounter everyday epiphanies, find the Sacred in the ordinary, the [miraculous] in the mundane, fully enter into the sacrament of the present moment." The Hand of God at work is quite easy to see in the smallest of moments, when I simply pause to look with care.

Neighborly Wisdom & Mirth

I was blessed to join an impromptu gathering collected around a neighbor who was puppy-sitting. Lulu-Bell is a newly weaned, Miniature Cocker Spaniel whose cute-rays are absolutely over-powering. Pam had us all in stitches as she regaled us with tales of this tiny, "paws-with-ears" standing it's own against her black lab. She especially endeared herself to me when she declared, "A puppy brings the nice out in 'everbody'".
We shared & laughed until the pinks & peaches of the evening, gave way to the mauves & blues of dusk. I secretly longed for a writing pad, but was was able to commit one other bit of her wisdom to my memory: "It's good to have a bit o' torment every now & again~ reminds ya you're alive." As my husband would say, "boy, howdy"...I surely have been alive this past year !

Meet Susan

I periodically capture baby snakes that make their way into the school & take them home for release. Susan came to us already in a jar on the last teacher work day. I sent my son down to a science teacher to verify that she is a Ring-neck. It wasn't long before I was called over the intercom to report to the 8th grade hall... I hadn't set down my task at hand when, "Immediately", was announced. The principals were cool with it. The one even said, "Science. No that's great for a kid. He just had it out of the jar & we can't have that." .... Boys chasing girls (& grown-ups) with a snake is just too cute. I had to stifle my giggles as I reminded him the rules.


Back at home, we looked her up & learned of her ways. I had London all prepared to set her free & was surprisingly trumped when Uncle Wes proclaimed that we could keep her. I called to tell my dad, knowing that momma wouldn't want to hear a snake story. Daddy was busy so I told her, anyway. She laughed & laughed that the son who had repeatedly tried to sneak snakes into her home had inflicted one on mine !
(I love the grubby, little boy hands in this image!)

Letting Go

Imagine cutting 25 middle-school kids loose in an art studio & encouraging them to develop their creative side. Some may be painting or using different printing techniques, while others are sculpting with clay or papier mache'. Some will draw, as others cut with knives, carving or power tools. Instruction is a challenge with as many as 5 or 6 things going on at the same time... of course they must clean up after themselves... all in the space of 52 minutes! I do this 6 times a day & as draining as it is, I LOVE IT !


Never let it be said that, "teachers have the summer off". The business world calls it "comp time" & the ministry, "sabbatical". Both are appropriate, but we educators call it planning & professional development time. The end of the school year is bittersweet as kids I have seen blossom over 3 years, head out for high school. Many will nostalgically return one day, barely recognizable in adult bodies. Some will remain in my life, but will never again be "mine". I pray I have strengthened their confidence in their abilities. I pray I have helped them find a special way of seeing. I pray I have given them a willingness to experiment, explore, discover, & create.


The tables are clean & the sinks polished. The doors are still while the walls, racks, & counters are strangely bare. The bells ring but to an audience of memories. My private tears are accompanied by the occasional dripping faucet as my kids' voices & laughter echo silently in the empty room. It is with relief that I head for home to rediscover my peace, myself as artist & of course, my family.

Old Friends & New

My son had several hard lessons on love & loss this past winter. Cody, his cherished, tee-tiny, lake-found, yellow-bellied slider died over the winter. We thought perhaps it was hibernating until his eyes caved in....ugh! Spot, the handless, fire-belly toad freed himself while we were out of town. He has yet to be found...well, the cat & dog haven't said a word. London decided our lop was too confined & willingly chose to give her to a neighbor. Bun-Bun now spends her days roaming the house, playing with kitties while enjoying much more freedom & love.


Our guest tanks have had a number of visitors. The boys especially love catching insects to feed toads & lizards. One evening as my son played on the dock, this young slider simply swam up to him. It never ceases to amaze me how much affection my 9 yr. old has for turtles nor how they hold their heads out to him when he picks them up & talks to them.


Buddy, the black, lab puppy is frightened by new things like signs or trash. He was particularly alarmed when he came across the giant, box-turtle we named, "Dino-Turtle" (short for dinosaur). We feel certain he has been a guest in our home before seemingly hesitant when we sent him on his way.

Vincent's Chair

I love lilies, but they take quite a toll with 2 boys adventuring in the garden. I simply sigh & remind myself how fast my son is growing. All too soon he will be off with his friends & I will have a quiet yard full of flowers.
I have acquired marvelous, still-life treasures from Mr. Cotton. Urns, tables, old lamps, a child's wagon, a mounted groundhog, even antique, kerosene lanterns grace the my students' art work courtesy of Cotton.
One of my favorite artists is Vincent van Gogh. (My art history professor in England insisted we pronounce it "van Goff", as "it is a Dutch name".) Vincent dreamed of starting an artists' colony & secured a happy, yellow house in the south of France where he painted a chair much like this one.


When I spied "Vincent's chair" along the road, I couldn't resist. It turned out to be a beautiful garden accent which temporarily protects some of my towering lilies !

Listen to the Forest

The first time I approached this home I was enamored with how it nestled into the forest & towered above the lake. Walking around back, I scanned the scene below & listened to the song of the waterfall as it cascaded into the cove beneath. "Wouldn't this be a great place for a kid to grow up !?! " ~~~ 12 years have passed & the forest is alive with the sound of boys running & laughing, exploring & discovering. We are so very blessed !
Yesterday, my son & his friend prepared to climb into the pool. Without looking up from my gardens I reminded them, "Listen to the forest. It is beginning to murmur & sing." Both boys paused & looked skyward. I heard my son explain, "When a storm is coming, the trees begin to warn each other. One tells another, who tells another... They tell when it is coming & when it is close." His buddy replied, "Yeah, we better wait."
I LOVE that they know that !


The other evening, as neighbors contemplated taking refuge in their crawlspaces, I stood out on our deck storm-watching. I listened to the forest & to songbirds calling out their final warnings. The sky deepened from greys to blues & into the night. Rose colored flashes, punctuated by slow moving streaks of pink lightening illuminated the trees. The clouds darkened & swirled overhead, clearly traveling quickly & in different directions. I actually witnessed fingers of different sizes twisting high aloft. It was amazing & invigorating, but strangely enough, not the least bit scary.

Lights Across the Lake

The folks directly across the lake become "neighbors" this time of year when they illuminate their pine with lights that reach across the water towards us. We reciprocate by adorning the back of our home for them. One of these years, I will make the drive up the hill to their home & introduce myself...who knows, maybe even today.....

The Warmth of Light

This time of year, I drive slowly across the bridge on my way home. Across the lake, I can see our welcoming lights. As I turn into the neighborhood, I stop on the ridge. My husband's amazing light display greets me through the forest before I even make it to our street. The trees block some of the color making it somewhat magical & I am all the more anxious to arrive home. A crudely painted nativity scene is poised on our corner as a reminder of why we celebrate. With the newness of salvation on my heart, I pass through the light to our winter retreat.

Chimes of Change

I awoke the other morning to the Westminster chimes ringing the hour. Tom's mom particularly wanted us to have this treasure of theirs. We have reset the clock & each quarter hour their song transports us to our childhoods... to memories of precious people & times we have known. The same chimes continue the cycle for London, who was brought to us too late to have met the grandparents who bestowed this treasure upon him.
I also awoke to this image, which signals the finality of the season. Winds or animal movement turned on the outside light & I sat mesmerized by the silhouette of foliage in my home. The annuals have been relocated from garden to container & now vie for light in my living room window. Some will make it, while others will not. I have 2 boxes crammed with begonias that have made it through this winter cycle 10 previous times.
As I settle into "the season of lines", reliving distant people & places, it is time to bring out our tree....I suppose I *am* ready for this season to celebrate the birth of our Saviour!

Letting in the Light

Many people spent "Black Friday" wrestling with crowds, impatience, & desire. Most of our holiday shopping was accomplished throughout the year & we chose a quiet, yet active, day in our home. We had more of a "spring cleaning" sort of day as we vacuumed under everything that could be overturned or moved. Window seats were cleared, curtains were hung across bookshelves, & area rugs were either tossed or rearranged. Our hibernation retreat feels somehow new & fresh.Our home is small by the standards of many, but it suits us well. It is a rectangle divided in 1/2 with one end as our bath & sleeping quarters. I call the rest of our home, "The Room". Three sides have large windows which radiate forest light, creating a roomy feel.
Separated by a corner island, our kitchen allows the "chef & clean-up staff" to be a part of things. Our computer is next to sliding glass doors, where I look over the lake, & often the setting sun, as I work. Along with the "computer room", this space includes a toy/play room, dining, sitting, library, & office areas, as well as our living room & of course, my art studio. I once had students exclaim, "You must have a huge house!". I replied, "Actually, it is all one room...it just depends on what we are doing in it at the time."
Once again, I arrive at the way one chooses to see. Our streamlined, "new home" now feels much larger than the day before as I prepared food for our holiday meal. The light from the nearly bare forest brightens our home all the more this time of year. Despite the shortened days, it is a time for new light & new beginnings. Fresh flowers, a new collection of fragrances wafting from the glow of candles, & time with family is how we chose to begin our journey towards the winter months.

Wednesdays

Wednesday is not my favorite day of the week. Yesterday was to be a particularly long one. As you know, the day began with uplifting star-gazing. I didn't want to lose the positive momentum as I faced classes all day, a staff meeting followed by mountains of homework. At the end of my first class, I called out, "Have a great weekend!" The kids replied in unison, "But, it's only Wednesday!"...."Yeah, but let's pretend it's Friday. Doesn't that make you feel better?" After a pause they replied in one voice, "Have a great weekend!". They left with big smiles on their faces...I carried that out throughout all of my classes with the same reaction. One more day to go until we have "home days"...HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Listening for Peace

While most of our days are still quite warm, the hours of darkness are growing cooler. I find comfort in the ritual of reuniting with my jeans & hoodie. Wrapped in their warmth, I left the soft glow of a dozen candles, & headed out into the barely blueing darkness. The sound of an owl's last calls accompanied me down the trail to the Glade. Even from lakeside, the waterfall behind our home out-roared that of the dam. I listened as the crickets & katydids slowly quieted, replaced by the wrens chorusing the start of another day. They are first in our forest to start the day in mighty praise.


For a better view of the lakes' surface, I sat in a chair on the bank. I carefully chose a seat under sweet gum, sycamore & maple as the thuds of walnuts being released crashed their thuds all around. Still, the dampened forest seemed quieter than usual. With the ebb & flow of autumns' coming winds, the stalks all around me seemed to nod & sway in silent conversation. A remaining, forest sunflower seemed eager to tell me of all that I had missed. I was blessed with an occasional shower as the leaves released last nights' rains. Some of the ducks have relocated here, from the pond. They glide gracefully in the muddied waters & speak in hushed tones. I studied the cross-currents as the winds moved over the water. A school of fish traveled down the channel & turned in my direction, creating a wave in their forward movement. Had their been enough light for a photo, it would not have shown. This kind of subtlety is only revealed in the habit of careful watching.
As I return to the now lightened comfort of my home. I am greeted by a chorus of cheerful mums and the coffee pot's irregular gurgle. The dampening glow of the last candle seems to call it's farewell as I continue in prayer. As the daylight grew, I returned to the deck to bask in the rush of the waterfall. I noticed the chirping of the chipmunks that reside in our gardens. As I had prayed to my Heavenly Father, He carried His reply aloft in the early autumnal breeze. The peace of lakeside in early morning has accompanied me home and I find myself renewed in my Saviour.

Lizard Guest

London has always had a way with wildlife, especially lizards. We have anoles (aka "American Chameleon") & blue-tailed skinks in abundance around our home. Even as a toddler, London could snatch a lizard with lightening speed, always taking care to stay away from the tail, lest it break. Last Friday, an anole of about 4 inches came to stay in one of our guest tanks. As it grew dark, London wanted to make sure he was warm enough. He & Tom curled up a string of multi-colored rope lights in the tank.It was a lovely glow for me to sleep by that night. London & his buddy spent quite awhile catching & feeding him insects. Alas, the time went quickly & he had to return to his home in the wild. AS the boys moved to catch him, he broke free & took off for the "safety" of our clutter....not to be seen again. Most springs, we find a mummified lizard or toad that has sought hibernation quarters in our home, but this was our fault & we felt terrible. It was more likely that Mikey-Kitty would "play with him until he breaks"....Today, my husband saw a flash of pekid green at the kitchen window....the little guys had made it through a tough few days & was desperately wanting to go home. Fortunately, Tom retrieved him without any trouble. He carefully set him among dense, garden foliage for camouflage & safety. There he would find plenty of food & dew drops to quench his thirst. So very happy he has a happy ending!



We call him, "Lizard-Boy"...Here's a reason why:

Night Lights

My spirit rails against leaving home. I just hate to leave, but I love being away & travelling. The night before I left for D.C., I was anxious. My husband had rearranged his backyard lighting & I decided to relax in the pool. I turned on all the floating, colored lights, including a new one that spouts a colored fountain 18" high. I also lit the torch, to keep insects at bay. I called up to my husband, "Oh, pool boy ! This would be even more wonderful with a fruity, wine cooler.... in the fancy, [tacky], flowery, pineapple cup...." My wish was granted. I floated and relined, with the colored lights playing on my closed eyelids. The cicadas & frogs sang for me. The fireflies twinkled through my drifting lids. It was all good.

Summer Breezes

South Carolina's sky is so rich in hue, that is has it's own name. This summer is gloriously dominated by our "Carolina Blue". It is incredibly peaceful to lie in my hammock, under the trees & watch the ever-morphing, cumulous clouds roll by. The forest murmurs in the gentle breezes that carry them, dappling the forest with glistening reflections from the lake. The rise & fall of the cicada's summer song seems choreographed to the moment...& I am lulled to sleep.

New Life & Growth

For 9 or 10 years, we have had a tee-tiny Carolina wren nest in our carport. She nests right above where we sit and hang out...especially during storms. 3 years back, Tom got on a left-brain rampage and labelled everything on the shelves. He had a left-over jug, which he cut in half, & labelled, "handy container". Momma wren agreed and this is the 3rd year she has nested there.


She will come and go regularly, barely noticing us sitting beneath her. She is the tiniest of birds and has the loudest and most melodic of all our song-birds. Truly an amazing metaphor God created.


This year, she had a record-setting 5 babies !!!


The kids have grown & grown and now overflow the little bin....Saturday, it was time for big bro to stick his head out and lead the flock.....



We were so blessed to be out there as they took their first flying lessons. Poor things...trying so hard, but slamming and falling and trying again. I was afraid for them, but could hear momma singing a strong song of encouragement.... They all made it out of the carport to the "Carolina Blue" sky...and safely returned. SUCH a tremendous blessing to witness day 1 of flight training !!!!


Another metaphor in this is to be seen in our lives....Sometimes we start to feel crowded and that it's time for a change... We look out and see a huge drop...it takes faith and a lot of practice. We can spread our wings and head out into new directions, as long as we have our Father-God's blessing and encouragement. THAT takes faith and relationship.

Late Night Bandit

I was up late one night recently,when I heard thumping on the back deck. It sounded like someone was bumping the furniture about. The dog and cat stared intently through the sliding glass door, beside me. I turned off the small light in the room and peered into the darkness....nothing. I returned to my work, with the lights off and heard the sounds again. Using a red flashlight, I still could not discern anything.


I moved over to the kitchen and listened. The sound was just below that window. I climbed atop the counter and peered out... This young raccoon was on a table, just below where I sat. He seemed as interested in me as I was in him...We stared at each other, for the longest time, only a few feet away....one of those moments that seem to last an eternity. It was joyous and magical! I could no longer control myself and I snapped a few images. The flash drove him away and he disappeared into the night.


I did not have to wait long before he returned. This time, he focused on his task and I watched to see his motive. He was back atop the table and working feverishly with his little hands, reaching down to pry open a bucket. (I wondered what was in there....had someone at the cook-out used it as a trash bin?) When he finally managed to pry open one edge, he climbed down. He tipped over the bucket and removed the lid.That little guy had found my missing, 20 pound bag of wild, birdseed !! He grabbed it by the handle and started down the steps with it. A few harsh raps on the window and he was gone into the night.


"Watching" and "listening" truly can bring untold moments of magic!!

"..Much will Be Required..." *

In the time of Jesus, Roman law was final. When a Roman centurion was walking and came upon a non-Roman citizen, he could force a non-Roman to drop what he was doing and carry his load for one mile. What a tremendous burden and inconvenience !!! After having accomplished my work, I have been instructed to carry out the tasks assigned to others. It is frustrating, to say the least, infuriating at most. Not given to anger, I first sought the words of scripture for counsel.

In Matthew 5:41 Jesus said, "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two". Is the Bible an outdated manuscript without relevance in the modern world? I would say this example puts an end to that argument.

* see Luke 12:48

Early Impressions

Prior to the last photo class I took, I was to shoot 100+ images without regard to light, composition, balance, etc. This was very difficult for me...to shoot without thinking artistically. The goal was to identify what things attract my eye. What I realized most is that I am attracted to texture...particularly mixed textures. It made sense and yet, felt odd. As a visual artist, I render smooth, gradual shading in pencil, paint and pen.
My brother, Wesley, and I periodically go "grazing" at the store. This is something we don't do often, but LOVE ! We will be gone for hours. We always find ourselves in weird, off-beat sections of the store...I noticed that we will point and look and, "wow" at the same thing at the same time...and it is usually texture-based! I commented on this and he said, "It makes sense. We both grew up in the same house." We are also drawn to the same shells when we beach comb together.

The home my parents chose to raise their kids in was built by a contractor for his daughter, who only lived there a short time. He had outfitted the place with all kinds of cool and varied textures...white gravel, framed in wrought iron in front of the fireplace which was double-sided in a rose, stone wall. there were copper tiles in the kitchen, more gravel in the bay window. Several of the plaster-walled rooms had one wall of a different kid of panelling.Outside there was brick, gray stone and wood. There were fields arund and forests nearby.
It is amazing to me how our surroundings, subconsciously affect our preferences. The youngest of 8 grand kids, I was the only girl. I was a tomboy and was always trying to keep up with my brothers and boy cousins. All the adults wanted to keep me in pink and ribbons and lace... As an adult, this has become my "comfort color"...the color that makes me happy...the color I wear when I want to feel loved or just plain comfortable. Early impressions may be more lasting than we think.
Next time....an array of different shell textures...