lucy creates!!!

2008-07-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Soul work. Whittling away. Letting go again and again, because I continue to pick up the broken pieces.

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

2008-07-22T08:42:00.001-07:00

Whittling away at the carving of my life. The shavings have much to say.

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

2008-07-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Accept. Don’t Expect.

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

2008-07-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

It is impossible to meet the expectations of friendship—ours or theirs.
I can, however, be grateful for what is—for who we are together and apart.
I can consider the relationship with grateful expectancy versus unattainable expectations.

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

2008-07-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Home. Where every part of me comes together (if only for a moment) and I am at peace.

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

2008-07-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

What is my role here? And, why in this place where I should feel most at home—most like Me—do I feel so alone?

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

2008-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

What I say may not be what you hear.

teardrops ~ tiny reflections of joy and sorrow; wisdom, knowledge and confusion; capturing moments in time

flickr fun

2008-07-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

1. Succede che ti si squaglia il cuore, 2. 16/365 - Finals Week, 3. NYC - Metropolitan Museum of Art - Youthful Hercules, 4. The Photographer, 5. +[ Johnny Depp: drop dead gorgeous ]+, 6. Chardonnay!, 7. Last day in Paris, 8. Wedding on Your Mind, 9. That's, uh, some lightning you've got there., 10. When Waves Collide, 11. Something wonderful happens in Summer, 12. The World Looks So Good When You’re Wearing Heart Socks

Above is a fun flickr meme that I've seen floating around the internet. I found it at Creative Everyday. I have been curious about the collage technique with photos and so decided to give it a creative try. It's great fun when you don't want to drag out all of the art supplies. Give it a try. Here's the idea behind the meme:

Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr search.
Using only the first page, choose an image.
Copy and paste each of the URL’s into the mosaic maker over at FD's image maker.

The questions:
What is your first name?
What is your favorite food?
What high school did you attend?
What is your favorite color?
Who is your celebrity crush?
Favorite drink?
Dream vacation?
Favorite dessert?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
One word to describe you.
Your Flickr name

Be sure to let me know if you post your own!!!

just playing...

2008-07-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

Poetry Party

2008-07-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Today's post is inspired by this lovely photograph and poetry prompt found at Abbey of the Arts. I hope you, too, will choose to join the party here.

paralyzed
I refuse to choose and
so the doors that lie before me
remain forever unopened

some sit ajar…just a bit
a crack to let light in
brightening the shadows of “what if”…just a bit
immobile, however,
the hinges grow stiff in their waiting

possibility remains trapped,
paralyzed behind the door
I refuse to let swing wide
saying to myself,
“what if it’s the wrong door?”

Where do you find yourself refusing to choose--either by keeping too many doors open or refusing to let new ones filled with possibility swing wide?

photo by Christine Paintner

supporting the arts

2008-06-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

well, i made another donation to the arts today. this time it was in the form of a $25 entry fee for the antigonish review poetry contest. (oh, i also sent a few poems along with the donation). some lucky poet will have the pleasure of winning an award and being published. i can at least say i had a small part in it.

it's not too late to make your own "donation." contest ends june 30.

beauty distorted

2008-06-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

abbey of the arts had a fabulous post today called "radical hospitality." i found it to be quite thought provoking and inspirational. pop on over and take a read.

ugliness knocks at my inner door
“go away” I say. “leave me alone.
I left you far behind long ago.”
but no. he is persistent.
he bangs & clangs the knocker.
“I am here and here I will stay
until you look me in the eye.”
I cover my own eyes as if I have
just stepped out of the darkness
into a blaring headlight.
it hurts and I shrink back for
I do not want to look ugliness in the eye.

he has followed me too long and
too far until I find myself
hiding from his face of derision
“time to work with me” he says
“it is time and you have run too long.”
ugliness is his name and I must
invite him in.
I cry. I weep. I moan.
it hurts too much to look in that mirror.
face twisted. beauty distorted.

ah, is that who ugliness is?
beauty distorted
gifts turned on their side
passion crying to be met
holding. weeping.
loneliness.
I fear it and so I close the door
and make myself alone.
I twist beauty into a mangled mess
and then I spit it out.

ugliness has come knocking at my door
“let me in” he says. “look at me. I am yours.”
he holds the mirror to my face
and shows me what I long for
aching to release hurt and loneliness.
oh Lord will I never come out of this
painful circle?
the cycle that keeps me alone
that pushes others away and holds
beauty’s distortion

ugliness has come knocking at my door
how will I invite him in?
gently, kindly. can I do it?
“take a look at me” he says.
“I am yours.”
I see mere shadow
growing in twilight,
dancing in moonglow,
going on his way
I open my eyes to see that
he is simply beauty distorted
the door is wide and
we are released

hooray for me...

2008-06-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

...i just stepped through one little layer of fear and doubt and sent off a short-short fiction submission to the new millennium writings contest. hooray for me!!

whatever was i thinking?!?!??!?!?!

tell me what you see...

2008-06-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

clear-eyed freedom

2008-06-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

This week at Abbey of the Arts, Christine offers this incredible image along with her poetry prompt. When I looked at this magical bird all I could see was "freedom." So, this time rather than drawing on my own words (which seem sparse in comparison to the image) I am choosing to share this piece of work from John O'Donohue. I hope you will head on over to the poetry party and leave your own interpretation!

“as a bird soars high
in the free holding of the wind,
clear of the certainty of ground,
opening the imagination of wings
into the grace of emptiness to fulfill new voyagings,
may your life awaken
to the call of its freedom.”

from To Bless the Space Between Us

woman of the golden fleece

2008-06-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

this past weekend, tess posted an evocative poem by marge piercy along with commentary about the power of poetry.

the stanza featured here resonated with me deeply and then tess in her lovely british manner suggested, "wouldn’t that part of the poem make a fabulous collage??"

needless to say, the images did not leave me, so this morning i spent time i did not really have (c'est la vie) creating these images for my visual journal.

cafe writing--men and women

2008-05-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

Sunrise Sister reminded me of the wonderful exercises over at Cafe Writing. I opted to take challenge #6 which asks us to take seven timed minutes and write on the topic of men and women.
Simple, right? Well, here's what popped onto my page in this fun little exercise. Enjoy!

men and women. mirror images, are they not?
he says yes and she says no.
one says stop while the other says go.
what to do you say you say.
I feel like a doctor seuss book come out to play.

he is big and she is small.
one is fat and the other one tall.
they fight. they argue.
they love after all.
can’t live with and can’t live without.
completing the puzzle with partner and spouse.

independent they are and dependent too.
what is the balance? what is true?
they wrestle and cuddle and try to break apart.
their ego gets in the way and covers the heart.
stay. go. love. hate..
what can they do with all that’s on their plate?
work. kids. art and fun.
sometimes it’s easy and other times it’s dumb.

what what you say? where can we go?
life is short with so many choices.
hear me she says I have big voices.
they stop they go. they come in and out.
he walks away and she starts to pout.
they tickle. they poke. they make passionate love.
is marriage for real or is it all a joke?
no no you say it isn’t right.
love is forever not just a day or a night.

men and women. mirror images, no?
one says stop and the other says go.
writing. plotting. dreaming too.
when will seven minutes be up?
it’s a little like marriage and the bottomless cup.
come on let’s go. it’s time to play.
one on the seesaw, the other at bay.
the seesaw won’t go with one at the bottom.
two must be there or all is forgotten.
witnesses to life.
husband and wife.
men and women.
can’t live with ‘em can/t live without them.
writing away…

collage by lucy 2.08

deep sighs

2008-05-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

see related post here

wing of the day

2008-05-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

Come With Me
To the quiet minute between two noisy minutes
It's always waiting ready to welcome us
Tucked under the wing of the day
I'll be there
Where will you be?

Poem by Naomi Shihab Nye from her book Come with Me: Poems for a Journey.

poem found at Paris Parfait

photo by lucy 5.17.08

tell me what you see...

2008-05-15T10:18:00.001-07:00

stampede

2008-05-13T07:52:00.001-07:00

photo & poetry prompt found here:

the stampeding herd storms

across the landscape of my mind
hurry up!
get it right!
don’t stop!
know it all!
you don’t know anything!
it’s all your fault!
it’s all their fault!
anger
judgment
resentment
each pushing to take the lead
but…
humility quietly presses ahead
slowly
steadily
gently
humility comes alongside with
steady plodding steps
be still and know that I am God
be still and know that I am
be still and know
be still
…and then the stampede stops

six word memoir

2008-05-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

tagged by sunrise sister to play the six word memoir game, here is mine today:

reaching, stretching, growing ---more than not...

...tomorrow could be something entirely different, because i am...

reaching, stretching, growing ☺

if you would like to play "officially", the rules are below. otherwise, please just leave your own little memoir in my comment box. please please please. ☺

1. Create a six word memoir
2. Post it on your site
3. Link it back to the tagger's site
4. Tag 5 other bloggers

think pink

2008-05-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Out of myself, but wanting to go

beyond that, wanting what I see

in your eyes, not power, but to
kiss the ground with the dawn

breeze for company, wearing white
pilgrim cloth. I have a certain

knowing. Now I want sight.

--Rumi

morning walk photos by lucy

mindful

2008-05-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

by Mary Oliver

Every day
I see or I hear
something
that more or less

kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle

in the haystack
of light.
It is what I was born for---
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world---
to instruct myself
over and over

in joy,
and acclamation.
Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant---
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help

but grow wise
with such teachings
as these---
the untrimmable light

of the world,
the ocean's shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?

lucy's photos @ mount rainier 5.01.08

winds of change

2008-04-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

photo and poetry invitation found at abbey of the arts:

winds of change where do you begin?

is it a whisper in our ear or
the roar of a God whose belly fills deep
upon the ocean?