A Long Ago Christmas

I am remembering the story my dad always told at Christmas time.  He and his father and two brothers would go out to the barn on Christmas Eve and milk the herd of cows by hand, by the light of kerosene lanterns.  While they were doing chores, my German grandma would set up the Christmas tree and decorate it all by herself.  When grandpa and the boys came in from the barn, there the tree would be in all its splendour, alight with candles.  I could always sense in my dad's voice the magic he felt, and imagine how wonderful it was to come in from the cold, dark barn and behold the tree.  My grandma loved Christmas.  She made special treats: eggnog with their own eggs and cream, Butter S cookies that used 16 eggs and a pound of butter!  And a Cinnamon Ball Kuchen, made by dipping little balls of dough in melted butter, then rolling them in cinnamon, sugar and ground pecans.  These were layered in a bundt pan with whole pecans tucked in here and there.  I think she put some glacee cherries on top, and maybe a drizzle of frosting.  You didn't cut it, but just pulled the little balls off and ate them.  It was heavenly.  Would I want to go back to those days?  Probably not, though the simplicity and innocence of times past is very appealing.  But it's important to remember where we have come from, and ponder where we are headed.

 Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

The butterflies are in!

At first I thought I would use the butterflies, then changed my mind, then changed it again and bravely glued them in.  I was afraid (and still am a little) that they would be too big and overpowering, but the collage is big enough to support them (or I hope so).  It takes awhile to look at a piece after you have made it to decide how you really feel about it.  When you've been scrutinizing every detail of something for so long you lose perspective and it only returns gradually.  Any comments welcome!

New Mandala

The glue isn't even dry on this yet, but I had to get a picture up.  I'm so excited to finally be finished with it.  It seemed to take forever, but these things just won't be rushed.  It was meant to have butterflies in the corners but they just wouldn't work.  Plus my camera skills are just not adequate to capture all the wonderful details.

The diamond shapes around the circle are a chartreuse metallic color which I dulled down a bit with some burnt umber washes, as chartreuse is a color that screams!  But chartreuse it had to be.  I kept seeing it in my mind before I started this and had to try it.

Many layers of paint, sand and glue went into this.  I scrubbed, splattered, sponged, crinkled, tore and brushed to get the effect I wanted - ancient and rich with mystery.

Bleeding Heart

Mother Nature speaks with many voices.  I can hear her best in still, quiet places, beside streams, in the woods or meadows, or raising her voice during a thunderstorm.  Twilight is a special time when the membrane between the invisible world and the visible becomes very thin.  Sounds take on a special significance.  The air vibrates with small whispers - nocturnal creatures are stirring, birds are winging their way to roosting places, a rustling squirrel sounds like an elephant!  You can feel a presence there beside you and your heart opens, wanting to communicate, wanting to share.  The sky is streaked with purple and a few last tinges of pink as the darkness falls.  Ah, the sadness!  Words won't do, feelings arise and float off into the dusk - to go....where?  Are there others beyond the veil, watching and waiting?  Do they share our feelings?  I feel sure they are there.  So I let my heart speak to them and hope that they hear.  And I try to hear them.  Sometimes it seems I do.  Thoughts come unbidden, thoughts I would never have thought of myself!  What a strange and wonderful world we live in, and how rich is the life around us, both seen and unseen.

Wings and Things

Here are some wings just unfurling on a squash plant in our garden last summer.  Wings are beautiful creations.  Sometimes I wish I had some!  But I don't, so I draw creatures that do have them.

Sometimes I dream I'm flying and it's a wonderful feeling.  But I'm really happy just to be able to walk, so I'll just enjoy the lucky winged creatures, visible and invisible!

Here is a sneak peak at the collage I'm working on, which will feature some winged things - moths, or butterflies, I can't yet decide.  What do you think?

Later, Heidi





Moon Snail Tag

My chickens have devised a game using some moon snails I have on the patio from a family trip to Cape Hatteras years ago.  For some reason the hens love these shells.  Maybe they look like eggs?  One hen will pick up a shell from the patio and run with it, while the others follow in hot pursuit.  The snail will be stolen several times, and the new carrier chased again.  Finally it is dropped and several hens will cluster up together, peck peck pecking all around the shell.  I find them all over the yard and put them back on the patio until the next game starts.

Spirals and circles are wonderful shapes.  They are everywhere in nature and the cosmos.  The Milky Way, seashells, the ripples of water flowing around rocks in a stream or from a skipping stone, the vortex when you stir your tea or let the water out of the bathtub.  Trees, of course, are tall and upright.  But inside, what do we find?  Hidden circles, rings for each year's growth.

Spirals and circles have been appearing in my mandala collages.  They are perfect meditative forms.

And speaking of collages, I'm working on a new one which will appear shortly.  Till then, happy December!

Heidi

Frost Flowers, Leaves and Lace

A morning walk revealed some rare treasures - frost flowers.  They only occur the morning after a hard freeze when there's recently been rain.  The moisture in certain plant stems oozes out and forms delightful, delicate, spiraling ice crystals.  They remind me of ribbon candy or frosting flowers on a cake.  These were found on Dittany, which grows along our driveway and the county road we live on.  I have seen huge ones along the river on large weeds growing there.  They look like fairy castles.  So ephemeral, they melt away as soon as the sun touches them, so you have to be an early bird to see them.  The slightest touch shatters them; even breathing on them can melt the edges. 

Nothing can improve on Nature's beauty.  But we try...  Here is a collage I did featuring paste paper gingko leaves, doilies and lace papers.

Thanks for sharing my morning treasures!  I hope you find some unexpected delights in your day!

Heidi