Wood patterns

The end of a log gives such beauty...patterns.

Lots of logs stacked, some split already.  Soon to keep someone warm!

against the brown leaves

A flat metal crow-sized friend lives in a neighbor's yard.  I was serenaded by crows in the tree tops today.

Adirondack chairs sit waiting for the next couple to come along and enjoy the view.

Feline friends

What did you expect, me doing tircks?

I do tricks, but not when a camera is looking....zzzz!

I am so busy doing tricks and loving on you, it took about 20 tries to even get one pic in focus!  Don't I look scarey here?  Just licking my lips from just eating!

I am a love cat!!!  Don't you love me?  Everyone does!

Ripple

Stillness of lake surface with one ripple from a leaf landing.

THis is submitted to Weekend Reflections, here.

may be off for a while

Computer is a laptop.
It's screen (LED?) died today.
Fortunately I've got an old monitor from an even older computer that died a while ago.  So I am able to see what is happening with it...kind of.
I don't know if the laptop has more going wrong that the screen.  Not feeling very positive after the photos disappeared on the other hard drive...see my other message for Thanksgiving that didn't have any pics because of that.

I'll miss you, especially if I'm not able to look at my friend's blogs at breakfast in the morning.  Oh dear, how can I possibly start the day?  I'll figure out a way.

Bye for a while, maybe.

Happy thanksgiving

If you think a bit, you'll remember that the hype that the schools promote, and the stores, and the movies, and the churches...is all fiction.
The Native Americans and Pilgrims didn't ever do what the fictional stories say.

But the idea of gathering to celebrate harvest is true.

The idea of sharing your bounty with those who have less is not unique to any one group of people.

I started writing about all kinds of things I'm grateful for.

Then I discovered how many things are frustrating for me, where I see disparity between the folks who have enough to share, and those who are struggling to make ends meet.

I am so grateful to belong to the family of humans.  I am so grateful to have enough food in my cupboard and freezer, though my 2 cats will soon be eating my body if I don't get them more.

I am so grateful for the love that I know exists between my family members.

I am so grateful that a friend invited me to the feast of her family for Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving is really a struggle for many people.  My personal sense of frustration is being held in a house that has heat. 

I have daily fulfilling activities in which I engage.  My life is good, my health is good, my environment is good, my community is good.

That's my gratitude for today.

Sepia Saturday Nov 17 late

The children's section of a public library last year.  They usually take home an armful of books, after playing with the various toys the library provides. 

The sign says "One World, Many Stories"  Isn't that what reading is all about?

 This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday 152, a bunch of young people in another library.  Go here to see the rest of the links.

I - Pod - seeds

I bet you drive around this stunning display of seed pods every day or so, if you live in Black Mountain.
So the challenge, dear readers who are lucky enough to be in Black Mountain, is to tell me where these seed pods are!
Just comment below.  (If you don't drive around here, I'll give clues later in the week)

Reflections

Photos show what is reflected with light.  This is being posted on Reflections blog

How about those thoughts we have with reflection?

Clouds, trees, the brightness of blue sky, and the mountains float upon the surface of the water.

One tree has already been cut, I wonder if this has long to stand.

My mind lets me reflect upon the beauty in dead things, where what was cultivated is allowed to return back to earth, the source.

A note on health

If I focus today on health, sooner or later I may have a topic on wealth, and then some of the other things that concern everyone...mmm, how about how water always goes downhill?

OK, back to health.

I have a big bias because I never had any medical treatment until I was 20.  And actually I think this allows me to be open to the ideas of alternative health care, as it is now called.  But religious health care was the reason I didn't see a doctor till I left home and was living on my own.  Christian Science teaches it's followers to pray to know the truth about our lives, that we are all children of God, and have the same connections to God as Jesus had, therefore, can heal ourselves as he did.

I didn't always have healing, but I won't go into that.  It's still got some good information even if I've decided to go to doctors.

To talk about health is to look at what I loved when alternative treatments began to be welcomed in people's lives in the 70's.  Wholistic Health Care.  To be whole.  This is really what health means.  (And I mean the people in the United States, unfortunately.  Lots of people across the world were using many other ways of staying health before this Wholistic movement. (or Holistic movement as many prefer to spell it.)

So my note about health today is maybe that I want to celebrate the wholeness of myself.  And you too!

Now I'll go take my evening medications, then take my blood pressure to see how they're working.  I put a lot of effort into walking today, especially up the hill to Sarah's new house.  So exercise is a plus toward my holistic health.  I ate a couple of balanced meals, and had some chocolate, so I feel pretty good about my diet today.  My stress level has been pretty low today, having said just what I was feeling during conversations whenever I had a different opinion, but I wasn't confrontive.  And I just finished a book about yoga and learned some new ideas that  inspire me to approach relationships differently, thus feeding my spiritual health as well.

Be well, y'all!

Loving being old

When Time Goes By blog yesterday said this... (here)

With so many baby boomers entering their mid-sixties, being old has become the new cool age group for the media. They vie among themselves for attention, intent on advising Crabby Old Lady on how to avoid being old – or, at least, to not be perceived that way.

I decided it was time to celebrate the wrinkles and sags of my life.   Bah humbug to those youngsters who want to make me stop looking my age, or try to anyway.

So here's my looking like me, and loving myself for it.

And do I have the nerve to show you some wrinkles?  Well, isn't that part of loving myself, letting you know just what is here?  (Maybe not all of what is here, so don't worry!)

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I don't wear any make-up any more.  When I go out in the sun I do put on some sunblock.  I believe nature should look natural, and I'm part of nature, but I do keep my clothes on!  I'm not especially proud of my wrinkles...and I'm a bit surprised where they are.  I'm kind of missing those expected great crinkles of smile-wrinkles around my eyes.  Oh well. 

My ruddyness might be from the house being a bit cool today...around 65.  But most of us keep our homes around that temp.  Perhaps it's from wearing that pink sweater!

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Hope you love yourself, and all the folks around you, today!  I love you just the way you are, and I probably don't even know you!

And before I go, I have to give you another link, to one of my favorite forward thinking blogs...
if-only-we-could-be-as-smart-as-a-flower on Hecate Demeter's blog.  This is very important for everyone to think about.

taking photos today

My camera is in hand as I head out to the studio to take some pottery pictures.

And since I said this wasn't my pottery blog, they will end up on the other one.

I love reading my friend's blogs with breakfast every day.  (The blogs I follow here are right to the right).
 I also look at blogs I follow on my Alchemy of Clay site http://blackmtnbarb.blogspot.com/ ...which if you want to know about creativity or pottery, they are the best!

 I'd highly recommend the TED talk which was linked on this.  Creativity is definitely something we all, getting up in the morning till going to sleep at night, can use.

Hope Wednesday finds you enjoying life.  I am.

Ram Dass, uncut

Walk the Talk, Ram Dass interview, uncut, with the ocean and wind in the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fpyxBx0w-n4#!

I loved looking at this, though it took several times of sitting.  It took a while for my attention span to settle.  Kind of like sitting in meditation.

My favorite part is around minute 17, where he's asked what super power he would like to have.

Chasing Her Tail

Painter decided I wasn't entertaining enough (am I ever when I'm at the computer) and started being the kitten self that she still is.  I actually don't know how old she really is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90NCpV7cruk

See if this movie works.  I am still learning the YouTube stuff.
I noticed it scrunched up the pics, and didn't let you read the captions.  She did finally conclude that we wouldn't know she ever did this, right?

She had such expressions on her face, and knew I was taking pictures.  She would look to see how she was doing every once in a while.

Goddess studies loss

Three gentleman sailors...????

Yes, the yacht races at Lake Tomahawk, completely run from the shore.

There was a special wedding during the time I took my walk.  It had been provided free to a Marine who has served two tours in Afghanistan, and his bride, from a contest.  Here is the balcony where the service apparently was held. 

As I looked at FaceBook this afternoon following my walk, I learned of the death of a dear and talented woman who has written, researched and led much of the forefront of serious studies about goddesses.

This picture reminds me of Patricia Monaghan.  Our lives are all a bit diminished by her loss.  She was a treasure.  My favorite book of hers was "The Red Haired Girl from the Bog," a charming and personal story of her trip to Ireland to explore goddesses and her Celtic roots, which were intertwined.

bare corners

Look quick!

My friend, The Heathen One, worked hard for hours and hours yesterday, and all the leaves are gone, for a minute!

Just had to go out this morning and get some pics for sharing, and documenting that it really did happen!.

Oh yes, see all those leaves still on the Crepe Myrtle in the foreground, and the butterfly bush near the porch!

Though soon all will be grey and brown, the sun is shining and showing a certain bareness around the cottage today.   I'll get used to it, probably, or more leaves will cuddle in the corners again to take the sharp edges off my environment again.

The house plants are doing fine in the "hot box" out on the front porch.  But I do miss having their cheerful green and colors in the house this winter.  Wonder if I can continue to live with them outside all winter.

Siwtchboards and phones

Ah, switchboards!  This is the picture from this week's Sepia Saturday
 
That was my first job, probably when I was working in my mom's office at my private school...which was mumble mumble mumble, about 1954.  I am pretty sure I was in "middle school" either 7th or 8th grade, having graduated from folding and stapling things and stuffing envelopes.

I loved trying to figure out answers to questions, like where was Mr. so-and-so, since he didn't answer his office phone.  (Who knew?)  And how to get to the school, when I didn't even drive yet.  I don't think I kept this part time job very long.  But it was the forerunner of many administrative jobs to come in my life.  I bet I've answered phones for so many times and so many hours, maybe the total would be years if I tried adding it all up!

All phones looked alike for many years...

Those phones of the 60s started out black, but were beige and green in my home. 

And instead of having a phone table in the hallway of a home, we started having a phone in every room.  Goodness!

Kitchen phones often had an extra long curly cord, which got all kinked up while I spoke to someone with the receiver tucked on my shoulder.

I had a princess phone in the bedroom; notice it still has a rotary dial.  Mine wasn't pink however.  I think it was beige.

I'll never forget the Ma Bell marketing which would try to put a phone in the bathroom also.  Really now!  I need some privacy please.

Thanks for reading, and for your comments!

Sighs

The election is over, for this time, this season, this "country."  Sigh.

I have  become somewhat of a "world citizen" and no longer identify myself so much as one nationality or another.

I think the more we can see our worldly citizenship the less likely we'll be to have "teams" of nations that combat against each other...each believing their deity is supporting their efforts to overtake, kill and claim parts of geography. 

There were once tribes of people who knew ownership of land was pretty silly. 

Last night pictures (maps) of some of land were colored red or blue to denote choices for leadership. 

Another competition, and yet the losing side had a lot to offer.  But their opinions won't be expressed so much now.  They are equated with "infidel status."

 
World peace isn't easy.

But just as we see how difficult it has been to leave behind our racial prejudices, (assuming we have) we need the effort now to leave behind our national prejudices.

Yep.  Next step for world peace.  Will you join me?

Can you let go of identification with one side or another, now?

Sigh. 

breakfast

A huge dollop of yogurt over grapes.  I was picking through the grapes to take out the kind of withered dried out ones, and thought to myself "why throw these out, when I often put raisins in my yogurt?"  So they stayed there under the yogurt.

(Note to any potters, this bowl is a piece that I've kept of a clay which bloats when it's glaze fired, called P-5. The bloat shows on the elbow of the cat in the shot above.   I have two samples in case you're considering it...and I still eat out of this one.)

It's snowing on Nov 6, 2012

The snowfall feels like news for now...while so many lives will be impacted by the news at the end of this day.  I do hope you've voted...it's really important to do this year!

Yes, we like bright colors around here...can you find those two camouflaged kitties?  Being calico they think they can blend in anyway.  Right.

My tummy's full, don't bother me, says Muffin

Painter is having a great dream too!

Snow still falling, and melting!

I'm really glad that Muffin is feeling better, having been on antibiotics for about 5 days for her UTI.  She was busy running around with Painter earlier today...whiz up and down the hallway!

Thanks for reading here (or my other pottery blog) and for all your comments!

Holiday gifts

A friend in CA just asked where I had posted my pottery since she's thinking of holiday gifts.

Here's the only place at this time...Alchemy of Clay by blackmtnbarb

It's one of the click it tabs called a "page" across the top of my daily posts at Alchemy of Clay.  (I have just changed the color of these tabs so they're bright red and green).  I've also got one for decorating for the holidays, and one for bowls, and one ...well, go on over there if you want to check them out.  Remember the shortcut of clicking the picture to the right of the bowls that takes you right there!

 This is the top picture over at Alchemy of Clay these days.  I'd better start updating the one here too.

Mmm, wonder what would be appropriate.  How about the cornucopia?

It looks a bit big.  But I'll try it now.  If you see it up there, it worked!