Fortunate

As a child I was fortunate. The land was my constant companion. 

The soft beds of Big Sandy Creek sheltered my feet and soothed my legs. Delights hid in the murky water... snapping turtles, large catfish, and frog eyes bulging with expectancy. 

Insects buzzed, landed, moved on...

The Dragonfly spoke a language of crisp erratic flight. Silently the wings sounded like rice paper 

crinkling ever so slightly in the air currents 

a sketchy rhythm at best. 

Sunlight filtered through the cloudy water

allowing life to peak through 

in ribbons of clarity...

there was always hope.

   

As I rise with the morning sun this word "Hope", 

these childhood memories, 

allow me to breathe.

Step onto the land

Walk beside, or within, the stream bed.

Leave the noise behind 

it is my saving grace. 

When bare feet touch the earth, I no longer have to be in charge.

When my eyes view the sun cresting a ridge, appearing to kiss the mountain top, 

I no longer have to be in control. 

Clouded thoughts, joys & troubles

disappear within the fresh air of a new day upon mother earth. 

It does not matter what my name is, who my ancestors were, where I exist in life, and how many disappointments have come and gone...

They disappear as I sit on the side of a mountain peering across a vast sky.

Life just simply is,

I

am

 simply better for it. 

Mother Nature rocks, holds, and washes my fears away.

I am equal and connected to the earth and every living thing.

 

Twutterflies!!

 

         

 

   

     Twutterflies    

   

         

   

     By Nancy Daniel &...    

 

 

 

   

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Befuddled ... Betwixt... Believe

I thought about my latest batik fellow...
A wee sparrow
Befuddled & Betwixt... between landings

In comparison with the sparrow,
There seems to be those moments of: 
"What's next?"
"Where will the future take me?"
"How will I survive?"
"When will I know?"

Perhaps after we take those deep breaths, gulping air for stability, we remember that we truly are not in charge. The lessons our home ground taught us will most certainly see us through. 

Lessons from the birds:

Respect for land, water, trees, and all living matter who call the earth home.
Never take more than you need (food, resources, etc.)
Don't dance, play or peer into a raptor nest 
Listen more than you talk (chirp) and sing as much as possible. 
Always check out your surroundings before perching. 
Fly with confidence, soaring to your highest ability. 
Create (nests, roosts,etc) with finesse. 
Your life is short, soak every morsel of it up. 

Joyous, Thoughtful, Healing New Year to All

2016 approaches... I lean into the sense, feeling, the essence of 2016...ever hopeful. 
It is a day of reflection and I pick up journal entries that whisper remember when. 

"Mystery of being a woman 
the balance that is needed
the silent quiet strength that runs in our veins
the ache & longing for healing.. for peace
the sense of mothering & longing despite 
the push to play with solitude.
A world of patriarchal domination
seeking males for their balance with 
masculine/feminine"

"Many women choose to not give birth
But they still birth
They birth ideas, they birth love & understanding
They birth a bold new world
Mothering is always a part of it
The very act of bleeding reminds our body of who 
we are."-Annie

"The tears we shed, 
just as mother earth sheds,
washes the earth clean.
Early on I was told 
emotions were to be kept checked,
I matured... wisdom of the sages grew within me
Solitude became a friend
It was ok to be emotional, to cry for the world, 
for mother earth, release... cleanse
Healing began."- Annie

"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen


Energy exists in all living matter... how living matter is touched, seen, heard, breathed upon affects it's very molecular existence. 
Vibrations run deeply through living matter...
When we form a circle, a circle of intention, with hands of love we encircle this world, 
our earth.
We make a difference by loving through obstacles, 
through barriers, through creation
just as a child is formed in the circle of the uterus,
thoughts of love are formed in the circle of the heart. 
When we are thrown off kilter, 
our hearts are troubled
we gently pick up objects with our hands 
we allow ourselves to dream
to create" - Annie

In honor of Meinrad Craighead

To the women of Meinrad's retreat

You opened doors & windows into my heart

"Spirit Revealed"

These open doors & windows trickled up into my daughter & my mother... and all feminine spirits who surround me

Lorinda & myself at Meinrad's retreat 

Albuquerque NM

June 9-11 2006

To: Meinrad Craighead, Lorinda Bartlett, Susan Conners, Salinda Dahl, Mary Alice Hearn, Rita Hildebrandt, Nancy Lemke, Lynette Richards, Glenda Richter & Jennifer Star

To all in my life

A joyous, thoughtful, healing New Year

2016

As the Holidays Enter Our Hearts, Earth Sighs...

The Holidays are upon us, hopes of brotherhood and sisterhood enter our daily thoughts. This beautiful earth that we live upon shines tonight.The moon in all her glory casts a blue shimmer on the earth's quiet forest floor. I am watching silently, quietly pondering why my heart feels heavy when I am surrounded by love, a warm home, food on the table and security. The earth, the people, the living creatures upon it's surface feel the uncertainty of war, anger, abuse, misuse of our resources and our love. What can I do? How can I make a difference in these situations? These thoughts float through my head, trailing through my heart... hoping an answer will appear. 
 I know, deep in my heart, there is always hope, there is always love and the holidays (if nothing else) remind us of this love. The need to hear soft music filling the earth with shimmering hope, the need to see beautiful paintings that remind us of the golden light that surrounds us, the need to taste food pulled fresh from the earth's sweet crust watered by the planet we love, the need to touch another human being softly, gently... with honor. 
I, as many of us, continue to believe that love will prevail. Service to others will lift us all. Education will be the key to unlock many hearts and souls. We are blessed to walk upon this planet and call it home. We are surrounded by daily abundance and inspiration, despite the terrible injustice that occurs each and everyday towards humans and the land. 
I feel the presence of God, Mother Earth, Great Spiritual Beings when I look out the window at the moon's glorious beams. Trees reach to the sky searching for the next ray of sunshine, deer silently wander by searching for food and shelter, and I reach for words searching to make sense of it all. 
Blessings tonight to all. 

Humble Pie

I humbly write about the use of technology to share, to educate, to advertise, to put forth artistic visions in order to inform and create an audience. It is a healthy dose of humble pie when downloading art work, blogging to an audience, and sharing the next educational art experience with family, friends and the public. 
Whether through Facebook, Blogger, Instagram, or group e-mails it is a world of unfamiliarity at my age. Raised on a farm in central Montana we were told time and time again (an expression used by my mama) to be respectful, quiet, and above all be humble. Work hard and that work would reward us with prosperity and wealth of character. 
Now I know this to be true but let's consider the arts....all of the arts. Unless we are working in education we are usually not afforded an hourly or even monthly wage unless well established in our field. How does one go about being "Well established?"
You must be seen, heard, and/or felt in some manner. By felt I refer to emotionally touched through the senses. Our work needs to reach a larger audience. Also we must connect to this audience in order for them to understand our vision. Thus, words and images (possibly musical notes and writings) must be sent out to an audience who has expressed interest. 
So why am I writing on this subject matter. I have been fortunate enough in my art career to be involved with the MAP program (Montana Artrepreneur Program) through the Montana Arts Council. This program has offered a chance for artists to expand their knowledge on marketing art and connecting with artists and visionaries from around the state of Montana (as well as professionals from out of state). Montana is comprised of rural areas... areas of great solitude but also great stretches of isolation as well. There were times in my life when I craved artistic voices, sharing of ideas, touching base on the creation of art and how to market it. 
Being an artist is being a visionary. Being an artist is an honor that, for me, was in my blood from the moment I was born. Being an artist means you have chosen a career that will need to be promoted in some manner. With pride, I choose to promote my art along with my fellow artists. Pay it forward, lift our fellow artists and those with artistic vision. For more on MAP visit art.mt.gov

Centering

In order to center something you have to completely let go, breath and allow centrifugal force to take over. The spiraling center of a seashell dizzily guiding one to the center...the center of the storm where one might breathe easier. We cannot have a center without the whole (or do I mean hole... the folly of the English language). 

When moments of sadness and confusion enter, as they enter for all of us, I ask myself "why on earth could you be sad, for you are healthy and loved"...but there are times one must be centered for life to even out. 
Breathing helps....I imagine circles of light glimmering in hoops entering my third eye, through my organs, out through my feet...

Then prayers of gratitude for the earth, for it's people, for healing of the sick, for clouds that provide moisture, for small hands that reach out for love, for fresh water to drink, for forgiveness when all seems lost....centering ones' self. My grandchildren provide a center, helping others provides a center, my partner's love provides a center...my family and friends provide a center (just as mother earth does.) So why the spinning tonight...
One feels pain in the air as energy is released, 
one must close the eyes and send love
centering
once 
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