More Farewells to Summer

The water is cooling.  It takes more effort to jump in and more time to adjust. 
But it's worth it.  Swimming in cool water is good.















This afternoon's swim felt like a bit like a ritual.  The thing I like best about the bottle photo,  aside from the ultra cool
Anti -Summer Poppet (2009),






is that, reflected in the curve of the bottle, you can see me holding the camera(bottom left), the yellow deck chairs, blue skies and green palm trees. 

 It's a reflection and only for a moment. 

But it was a moment I lived. 

All our moments are

bigger
inside
than
out. 

Light Finds Us

  This morning the air had a hint of cool.  Instead of grabbing a tank from the endless tank basket, I chose a comfortable shirt, twisted my hair (when did it get so long?) into something between a ponytail and bun and started this day that seems to be the start of more.
Because it is.
  For me, the end of summer is significant.  Summers are harsh in the desert.  My garden is dead.  That in itself isn't a problem.  I happen to find great beauty in my collection of leafless branches.  The "skeletons" of trees can be very sculptural and our yard is about as Addams Family as one can be in Palm Springs.  Soon enough, flowers will start to bloom all around us.  After Halloween, they'll bloom here too.
  Farther out, the world is a scary mess, the US is confused and divided and humans are worried.

 I'm one of them. I made this doodle while watching the news from Libya and the death of ambassador Stevens.

  Today is shaping up pretty much like the rest of the week.  Poppet Planet's orders got way behind thanks to a nasty cold, so I've been working long hours to catch everything up.  It's working well so far - poppets seem to be heading out my door in a steady stream and there are only three custom orders.  And one mad poppet laboratory that needs some serious maintenance.

  But yesterday I swept it aside to make this drawing because it couldn't/wouldn't wait.  Neither could the writing to go with it.  Sometimes it's just like that.  When you gotta draw, you gotta draw.  It seems we spend too much energy running from Sadness when we should embrace her.  Sadness is a teacher.  Everywhere she goes, light follows.  I hope you find peace today.

Light Finds Us
  
 

Small world. Big wind.

  As Orion began to improve, I took a turn for the worse.  My world has been very, very small for a couple of days and time went away. Two days of a wracking cough and the grey fuzz of medications, soup and reading and I'm somewhat better.  I was lucky to be able to rest straight through.  There have been times when that wasn't possible.  Colds go hard on me.  
Things got a little interesting these last few minutes.   The wind broke through the stillness we've had all day.  It picked up fast and we went outside to discover the air full of dust.  My first thoughts were of fire, but the smell was of the Salton Sea and a great deal of dust - enough to sting our eyes and turn the air brown.

This feels wrong, this wind coming from the east instead of through the mountain pass.  A cicada followed us in and seemed quite happy to hang out on my hand.  I enjoyed it for a little while but I may not be awake much longer so I put it outside in an open box.  It can fly away after the storm if it likes, or with the box if it gets much worse.  If I find it gone I'll wish it well.  If I find it dead I'll save it for art.
   Stories often start with weird weather.  As a long-time reader of fiction, I find tales in the wind.  As of late though, the weird weather brings questions instead and some worry.   Poppets tell me worry won't help.  Getting well will.  So I'm off to my books, broths and sleep, hoping the best for humans - and cicadas - tomorrow.

Justice

Mostly sick today and yesterday.  Summer colds for Orion and me.  A lot of reading, a bit of movie watching.  Not too much thinking.  Don't like thinking much when I'm not feeling well.  Thinking makes me want to do lots of things.  Doing lots of  things doesn't help colds get better.

 Now, a bit of downloading photos until the cold meds kick in, then more reading. Hope your Wednesday is good.

Justice:

Nuisance plus one.

  For creative types who work at home, holiday - schmoliday is often the norm.  This morning was no exception, so I shuffled toward the coffee maker as per usual just as the sun's light made it over the roof to touch the backyard fence.  Time to open the kitchen door and admit our nuisance of cats.  Five now, with the addition of Astro.
 Only this morning, there were six. 
One of these things is not like the others, I realized, bleary-eyed.  It is one of the 'neighborhood cats'  who just wandered in with my herd.
When I put him outside, two of my own ran out too.

So the crazy cat lady stirs a little milk into her coffee, checks on her sleeping son and begins her day.

This could be the beginning of a whole new phase of weirdness.  I'm okay with that. 

Collective nouns for cats: from Fun With Words

clowder	of	cats
clutter	of	cats
glaring	of	cats
pounce	of	cats
dout	of	cats (house cats)
nuisance	of	cats (house cats)
kendle	of	cats (kittens)
kindle	of	cats (kittens)
litter	of	cats (kittens)
destruction	of	cats (wild cats

 

More little things

  I found myself overwhelmed.  Again.  Still adjusting to a recent paradigm shift in which I stop seeing my unfinished projects as burdens, enemies or failures.  I begin to understand that planning art isn't working as well as letting it happen.  I have two unfinished book projects and half a dozen large pieces in the works and lists of inspired ideas. Waiting.
  I also have a household.  A ship in the desert that must be maintained and fueled.  And the world of Poppets.
  So yeah, like most humans, often I pick up more plates than I can juggle.  I don't like doing anything unless I can do it well.  I'm just made that way.  That includes writing here. So I tend to skip it until I have time to give it my full attention.
Right.  Maybe I'll try doing it half-assed for awhile, so that I at least show up.
  So here's a mixed bag of little things from this past week:

  The weather in the desert has been really, really weird. Feels more like Florida, especially in my  build-in-the-1950's neighborhood.

 
 
  I've concentrated my studio efforts on catching up custom poppets.  I'll post pictures as I get the photographs done.  Here's "Wolf's Moon" poppet created for Anrica Mills, who lives in South Africa.

 

Yesterday I saw Samsara at the theater with Pete.  Yes, that Pete.  I've been as astounded as anyone that we were able to find a protocol for peace.   I had the opportunity to tell the story to the lovely Valya Lupescu, who visited with her family last week.  I agreed with Valya, it's a good story, but I won't add it to my list.  It's in me and will show itself in the work.   I highly recommend Samsara.  Please see it on the big screen while it's available.

 

I continue to fear for humans.  I'm taking small steps to be part of the 'solution.' I'm from a generation of wastefulness, even though my parents weren't wasteful.  It's a frustrating thing.  For example, I make an effort to conserve water, yet there are over a hundred golf courses in this desert.  Cloud Atlas teaches me that though I'm only a drop in the proverbial bucket, the oceans are made up of drops.

With that in mind, I'm seeing all sorts of small changes I can make.  I can stop purchasing useless products, freeing up money for things I actually care about.  I can use less paper, fewer chemicals, waste less time too.

 

I'll make a real effort to post specifics here. But now, I must get into the studio.  Poppets must travel.

Hope your Saturday is good.