This video is long at 31:17 minutes. I don't expect many will take a peek, but I did and I wanted to remember that here. I have followed this family's story for many, many months of 2023. Good ol' algorithms that keep popping up similar videos if you open just one of a certain genre...BAM ---you get dozens more suggested and ads and whatever else they want to throw your way.
Beautiful Jenny passed away Nov. 5, 2023. She is mourned and missed around the world. Around the world. I've had such mixed feelings about this new form of sharing (over sharing?). There are dozens and dozens of folks "sharing their cancer journey (or other health or physical limitation or disorder) on YouTube. It feels weird to me. But, I've opened my heart and learned and grown.
A day or so after she passed, I saw a car totally decked out with ladybugs and a penny on the ground on the way into the grocery store. These are things that would mean something to her - ladybugs, found pennies and all things glittery and shiny - and I appreciated them coming to me.
The video here today showed something else though. It showed the Power of Community, the Power of Connecting. The importance of that. By this young mama (and others) sharing her story, she has added to the awareness of lung cancer. Remember how that happened for breast cancer years ago, when the world turned pink?! How so much awareness turned into so much money for research and treatments?! (I'm thinking about the money quote from yesterday's post 🙂)
So, connecting with a purpose then.
I went off and read about The White Ribbon Projectand entered a new world, a new community of folks 'doing something'. I found this inspiring.
November is the Awareness months for: Lung Cancer, Stomach Cancer, Neuroendocrine Cancer (I had to research that one), Pancreatic Cancerand Honoring Caregivers. Every month there are a handful of cancers focused on...there are so many, they've run out of solid colors. My maternal aunt had breast cancer...and a good friend...and so on and so on. Right now my friend's husband is in treatment for stomach cancer. Another friend is looking at thyroid cancer after having kidney cancer 6 months back. I ordered her some goodies from CHOOSE HOPE. There are so many kinds, everywhere.
An unwanted abundance.
So this stuff comes to me and I receive it, however I do. Process it however I do. And sometimes share too.
Today picking up some photos at the local drug store, another customer I was waiting with was picking up her holiday cards. I happened to glance down as she was inspecting them and noticed right away that her family had taken them at The Bridge! This really tickled me. Remember I told you how many families there were at The Bridge recently? Well, today I stood on the other side of this experience. She had chosen a family on the Bridge pic for one side and and a family pic for the other side. She had chosen her "framing" of pinecones, paper quality, font and so on. We chatted for a few minutes about the Bridge being a wonderful location for a holiday card photo. I told her about how many families I'd seen there. It was a light hearted moment of connecting. And I can't quite describe the odd surprise of actually seeing one of those family photos holiday cards for myself. This interaction had me thinking of myself as Grace moving out into the world and having moments with total strangers. How grand is that?
May you welcome in parts of the world you'd never considered before
May you engage and share and interact in meaningful ways
May you turn with ease, seeing many viewpoints as you do
At this point...I can't promise what will be posted here by me. My mind and discoveries are all over the place these days. Good thing there is but a small group for me to confuse here at the 'trail', so you may see art making of some sort, books, videos or music of a wide variety...there may be humor or frustration or celebration. And there may be learning, pondering or remembering. There may be anything...
I finally finished this book. It felt like it took me forever. It is a book I adored as a child, but when I first started reading it, I thought this is a strange and surely outdated read! The language, values, ideas...all speak to when it was written (copyright date) in 1920. However as I read, I thought it seemed like there was room for involvement. I've thought that a lot lately about these older books especially...but really any book. I think if I was a parent now, I'd like to be more involved with my child's reading...there is so much room for discussion when reading these relics. And there is something to be said about the higher cognitive writing for children in days gone by.
Anyway, two places towards the end caught my eye:
ABOVE: "Money," he said, "is a terrible nuisance. But, it's nice not to have to worry." ~ even in 2023...even in 103 years later...it's nice to not have to worry about money!
BELOW: 'Enough is as good as a feast,' they say. ~ again, even 103 years later...it's good to know when Enough is Just Right!
There is this teeny little scene in the movie "American Graffiti". It takes place in the girls bathroom during the school dance (as I best recall). The girls are bustling and chatting by the sinks/mirrors, when one of them recites this:
"When Mike went into the marines , she was
acting so wacky , she got run over by a bus".
All of these many, many, many years later, that line still comes to mind at certain times and makes me smile every time. The visual of someone so outside of herself, that she walks in front of a bus is just so descriptive of where someone's mind can go (or get stuck) in any given moment (usually times of stress or "too much").
The quote was found HERE and included the following definition of the slang word "wacky". 😁 My own definition is found below.
“The marines” are the division of the US military that is best known
for fighting on beaches or near a coast. “Wacky” is a funny little
adjective that means totally crazy or ridiculously irrational.
Talk about "wacky"...or distracted, absentminded, head in the clouds, too much on one's mind, overwhelmed...etc.
"ridiculously crazy" Ha
Sunday, while heading back from the laundry room (on the 2nd floor)...I got to the elevators, pressed the DOWN button, got in and pressed number #1. A moment later the doors open again and I step out...only to discover that I am actually on the 3rd floor! Talk about confused!! 😂
When looking for the exact quote, I stumbled onto this clip (below). By 1979, I was getting married and moving out of state. My 'adulthood' (haha - hysterical - I was 20 years old) was becoming and my teen movie gong days were behind me. So, was I ever surprised to try and recall an American Graffiti sequel from 1979! I remember none of this, but this scene made me laugh. It is just the kind of rebellion I snicker at! Isn't it funny after posting that "Judds" video, I now have discovered a young Naomi during this wacky search. haha
🟫 🟩 🟥 Learning about Square Breathing. Who knew? 🟦 🟧 🟪
It seems more circular to me...or maybe swoopy, like the Infinity Symbol!
♾️
The videos just keep on coming these days. Like the one below that appeared out of the blue (well probably not out of the blue, probably out of the algorithms!).
What I found most interesting, aside from the beautiful Green Land and sounds of Rain, were all of her very specific gadgets!! I'm such a sucker for that kind of stuff (not that I own any of it! lol). Big wooden boxes, a little wooden box that opens up to hold spices, hanging lights..a clock! ~ all of it neatly organized and then set up to create a most peaceful ambiance in the cutest darn lil Van(?) ever! She talks of feeling 'safe' (security) and 'comfortable' and 'useful'...about 'sleeping soundly'.
She gets water, fries an egg, steams rice, cleans up. She sleeps, wakes up and returns her pajama's to their own perfectly sized zippered pouch.
"I would like to talk about why I like staying in the car"
"I put a forklift sticker".
"The Warashina River is shining"
There is nothing Grand happening, just simplicity, calmness and a sense of peace. Just beauty in a living Metta.
I really enjoyed her video(s).
❤️
If you need more escaping, this one is utterly charming as well.
"[Rain car camping]Why I prefer car camping to tent camping."
Inspired by the SketchBook Skool videos shared in this post ...I planned to try my hand daily. This of course was followed by procrastination for a few days. I took it as far as considering buying a new Moleskin for this purpose. Wouldn't that be fun? - I reasoned. I could flip through, have my progress all in one place. I planned to have actual real 'models' to pose for me. I pretty quickly came up with the idea of drawing spoons, which led to thoughts on "Spoons I've Known" (remember the Pouches I've Known" post recently? I sense a theme beginning). On and on I thought, all while doing nothing, nada, zip. Then Monday night I realized my silliness. I got out my current draw/color/journal and with absolutely no more deep thinking or models involved...I drew 5 Spoons. They do not look much like their very real counterparts, but they don't really need to, because I know these spoons so well. I think I will continue this in one way or another. Stay tuned.
Our Grandmother's Silver (photo by sister) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~❤️~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I ran into this 2019 performance and was stopped in my tracks. After so many years,
Sarah McLachlan can still bring it home. This song has always been a bittersweet moment of profound beauty. Hard, but so beautiful. I enjoyed hearing of her work with children in more recent years. What a gift. When I heard the two sisters (not necessarily related to her school work) in the link below, the value of her gift to the world at large is clear.
All birds in this post are from medical office screensavers. Aren't they beautiful in their cold wonderlands?
With the state of the world, this song that popped up the other day, (video below) really had me listening to the lyrics with heightened interest. My first thoughts really focused on the word "waiting"...what a word that is, eh? I along with some of the commenters, thought of the above quote. I always viewed this quote as a positive train of thought. You know, be proactive, DO something, do things you can be proud of - that have an effect on those around you in the best ways possible. But in listening to this song a couple of times, I am now considering the waiting part. It is not always Time for Action, is it? Sometimes the field must lay fallow. The seasons of our lives must move at their own pace. We must patiently wait to understand what is coming next. At times, it is only then that we can put our best foot forward and really make a difference.
Anyway, you all know how much I love the Playing for Change videos and this one is no exception. I really noticed the variety of interesting instruments here. The drums in the beginning are amazing!
A spontaneous video about 'sketchbooks' being life changing. Boy after my recent delve into drawing-coloring-journaling...I couldn't agree more! I really liked some of what he had to say in this video and watched a few more too. SketchBook Skool looks like a pretty inspiring place and gave me some ideas of how my drawing could evolve. How fun!
Anyway, try out a few viewings for yourself, maybe poke around a bit and check out others, like this ONE.
I have posted videos from this You Tube Channel before, but under their old name of: "Green Renaissance". I'm not sure about the why of the name change, but their videos seem to be just as beautiful and inspiring and thought provoking as ever.
They now go by "Reflections of Life" This one features Judy Ford, who I found to be deep and delightful. Her take on broken hearted and how one lives with that had me thinking about so many folks I know, including me.
"THE FORGOTTEN CRAFT - Woman Discovers The Ancient Craft Of Basketry Weaving"...and see her work HERE.
💜
Below...more beauty and loads and loads of knowledge! This garden video had me thinking of Mo and of those of you so gifted with cloth or paper or drawing or weaving or words...or anything, oh and gardens too. I was amazed at how they both just slid those formal/informal (there is a better term for this! haha) names off their tongues...how the layering of plant life looked like the building of a cloth...how each area (or 'room') of the gardens told a unique story. Creativity, knowledge, expertise - making, building, creating...the arts of life.
I noticed how the garden held many different plants all together. He does speak of placing the "tropicals" together in the future, but I rather enjoyed how jumbled up it was.
I did something I never do, which was to screenshot a few key eye-catching shots within the video. Below the video, look at those two varieties of plant life. Totally awesome! And the two shots of the "Secret Garden" Gate!!! How amazingly fun is that?! I wish I had a garden and a gate so I could make one of my own to share some magic with whomever passed by. 💕
The amazing pattern and texture of the top side of a plant.
...and the gorgeous "other side" of another plant.
Little keyhole covers, choose your own eye-level height to peek into the "Secret Garden".
Fantastic!
💜
The last video for today, also just popped up in such good timing for this post! I guess You Tube Tube Algorithms know me by now! lol When the technology we sometimes curse works great!
Anyway, this -posted 8 days ago- video by The Doobie Brothers speaks to the hard times and heartache, but also the beauty and resilience and community...rebirth and struggles, building for the future...LOVE. I kinda feel like this post has pretty much taken me full circle through these ideas. LINK
The Doobie Brothers - Lahaina...
Lyrics:
It Calls To Me, Lahaina
A beautiful dream I’m tryin’ to remember Underneath the banyan tree our love will live forever Spirits everywhere they whisper in the wind
Waves that kiss the shore at night are calling us again
It calls to me Lahaina Carry me back home It’s calling me Lahaina Carry me home Where I belong
Deep roots of the banyan tree growing in the sand
Are strong like the people of the island
These sacred waters are the healing hands of love
That brought us here at last and they call us home again
It calls to me Lahaina Carry me back home It’s calling me Lahaina Carry me home Where I belong
💜
Me wearing an inspirational, mood making, reminder t-shirt: "Calm is a super power" ~ all while making some sort of laughing, goofy, fake Rock Star hand sign (only because I'm standing between two of J's guitars! 🤣
May you always remember to care, love and laugh, and if you forget...may you find a quote or a video or a piece of music or even a t-shirt that brings it all back to mind!
Susan of the "Little Poet" You Tube channel talks about being grateful for many things, including her hardships. I considered this when she said, “One thing I’m most grateful for is every stupid mistake I ever made, because I learned from those mistakes…”
Oh, if I could only find that kind of gratitude and feel confident that I'd learned the lesson presented to me during hard times. Some of us (me) seem to have those lessons on repeat, on a loop, to be learned again and again.
Anyway, what are you feeling grateful for? What are the specific atypical things that spark gratitude. We can all say family, friends, home...etc.
But, what about the 'hard' things? Do you have some of those to be grateful for? Or the teeny, seemingly little things (that may not be all that little really), can you think of those?
In this moment, because things can surely change on a dime, but in this moment, I'm thankful for my ritual trips to The Bridge...and bright blue skies filled with all manner of birds...and light and reflection...and Sundogs, for crying out loud! One thing that I'm thankful for is that I discovered drawing & coloring as a new way to express myself. Magic. Just that one thing has been an amazing gift.
Come along with me as I stumble around in gratitude, sometimes stumbling and falling...but always trying to get righted once again.
It occurred to me that even if you're feeling like you are in a lousy place, it can still be glorious!
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.”
― Rumi
I have friends who are going through tough times right now. I'm so grateful that they can get what they need to become or stay healthy. My friends fighting cancer right now are in my heart each day. Even with set-backs, they keep positive and continue on. I stand in awe. I am so thankful for something called 'support systems' ~ that help them on their journey.
Because we are all connected, yes...if we know the code, we too can stay connected and supportive.
🍁 🍂 🍁
Today there were sunlit red berries, never noticed before.
And three new river views. I love the shadow of the Bridge railing in the top two photos (below).
And a lovely breeze. A lovely breeze.
There were so many areas covered in wind debris, tumbleweeds caught in the fencing, branches blown down at the river's edge.
This added such a beautiful earthy texture, even if an added sense of disruption and chaos landed there too.
The sky was filled with visual, spiritual beauty. Do you see the bird in the cloud below? One eye and a beak, facing right.
It was breathtaking...
During this quieting time of year, may you settle in to rest with the people and things most important to you. May you bask in the light and tip-toe through life's shadows. May you stand tall, arms flung out & face to the skies...may you stand in your own authenticity and may you thrive.
Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.
Oh my gosh...I hadn't heard this song in years!! However, while recalling, chatting with J. and doing searches for all things Bridges...The Judds came up. I remember when this song was out. I had forgot the video with all of its 'diversity' and 'native culture' showing...showing us how to be inclusive and anti-biased and...whatever you'd call it in that time period. Today it looked forced and cliche'...but, LOVE remains a good message. Also that time period stands out as it was in my daughter's "strong women" musical phase. The Judds were current, but her other loves: Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Carole King, Patsy Cline...and more, were all more of my generation that hers.
Love is the bridge between you and everything. ~Rumi
This one is from my "go to" TV shows for escape, relaxation, feeling dreamy (such a beautiful location...and the horses!)...kinda like Dee has written about the escape of Hallmark Christmas Movies...my guilty pleasure, that I am not really guilty feeling about at all...well, mostly. Anyway, this song is performed by two of the main characters, granddaughter Amy and grandpa Jack. I'm such a sucker for a guitar playin' guy! lol
I have no idea how I missed this Eagles song, unless I consider that it was 1980 and by then I was kinda busy having a baby. I'm sure glad I found it now!
Let's build bridges, not walls. ~ Dr. Martin Luther King
Of course, this was the first song that came to mind when considering 'bridge'. I love this song... I love Simon and Garfunkel....the music of that era...
This song, the album cover...these two amazing singers...all remind me of my mom. It's a bittersweet lovely thing.
However, sometimes a Bridge can be hurtful, dangerous...not the Bridge Over Troubled Waters that one needs. The Golden Gate Bridge has been trying to help with that by installing a 'suicide net' (deterrent). When considering this word...that type of event has not been the first place my mind would go, but I can certainly see the importance...so maybe Bridging is also about keeping an open mind? A bridging of one idea to another?
An exercise known as The Bridge...well that one just plain hurts! Ouch!
Never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.
Of course, Teacher Me thought of this song straight away. Every version I found was that 'dumb it down' childish cartoon. I picked this one purely for the reasons that I have known children that absolutely adore CoComelon and it seems to show some sort of problem solving/teaching component. And here is a little learning on the side! There, now I feel better about this cheesy video!
"Water under the Bridge"..."Boy have I got a Bridge to sell you!"..."Cross that Bridge when you get to it"..."a Bridge too far"..."Bridge the gap"..."Bridge to nowhere"..."Don't burn your Bridges..."...
I guess I've been doing a little 'bridge-storming'!!
Starting off with something I did not expect to like, but really did! In some things, I am a snob, a purist, a "we don't need to re-do or change" classic...iconic things...we don't need sequels or prequels or whatever kind of "quel" someone has come up with. I'll stick with the "original" that I've known (even if that is not the very first true original presentation).
I feel this way about certain books, movies...music. I like the Judy Garland 'original' "Wizard of Oz" movie - yes I know it was a book first. Same for the movie of "To Kill a Mockingbird" - I've read the book, but to me the story resides in that old black and white movie. I do no like the remake, mash-up (whatever) of the song "Knocking on Heaven's Door" by Guns N' Roses...I'll stick with the Dylan version I know so well. There are others, where only the Original to Me will do, but you get the idea.
And that's really what it is...when things become a part of the fabric of me, the culture of me...I don't need to make additions or changes or ??? I realize how 'refusing to change' or stuck or closed minded (creatively), or non-growth-like this appears, but it is one of my quirks.
However, when I saw this video pop up, I thought Mmmm...interesting, I'll give it a quick listen. I, well both of us were pleasantly surprised. It helped that Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr, with special guests Mick Fleetwood and Peter Frampton play/sing on it.
What do you think?
Here is a brief interview with Dolly about the making of this album.
Gallows Humor has always appealed to me and I've certainly embraced it in the year that 2023 has been!
So Saturday, at my annual mammogram, which always falls during the October Breast Cancer Awareness (AKA All things Pink) month, I was once again treated to the medical contest (why is everything a contest, competition?) of Art Bras. The "Breast Cancer is Nothing to Snicker At" bra won. This is typically not my style of art, but I get it and everyone creates in their own way.
I wish all cancers or at least many other types of cancer could get awareness campaigns and funding for research as Breast Cancer has done. There is so much unknown and so much suffering with this umbrella disease.
On this particular visit, I noticed things never seen before (this is NOT my first visit to this department!!). I notice signs that made me wonder or chuckle, just like that sign at the VA Medical facility, shown HERE. I was again scratching my head when I read this one.
I was instantly singing this old song from Sesame Street...
I really feel like there MUST be something I am missing about the understanding of Medical Departments! This next sign though was quite easy to 'get'...as a little positive, lighthearted messaging can go a long way to those in medical situations. Although, I will also comment that I was half-expecting to see the other words in the now famously overused quote of "Live, Laugh, Love". I had a small gold necklace of that quote back in high school. 🙂 Maybe other dressing rooms had different words?
It is one of the things so curious to me...how we can go through life Not Noticing so very much. Obviously this is not a new sign, I just had never really looked closely at it in the past. Makes one wonder: What else has been missed? How can one see everything with all of sensory overload we are exposed to in our current world?
Also noticed on this visit...these two pieces of art. Again, not really my kind of art...but what I noticed was my brain instantly translated these to cloth work by Jude. Her ability to morph one thing into another...moon - flower, leaf-feather...
I was interested in how the leaves and flowers could present so similarly, almost confusing the mind on what one was looking at. Interesting.
This fellow visitor's sweatshirt (sorry for the blurry pic) gave me more to ponder. The grammar of it felt awkward. Is it? And the message of a butterfly's metamorphosis...? The words empower, yet the images show one of nature's magical occurring moments. Does the caterpillar have the empowerment needed to 'make it well'? What does that even mean? Wouldn't we all want to make things "well" (as in health, strength, longevity, done with care...etc.)??
Last, but not least...thankfully I had the idea to snap a quick photo of one of two freezer aisles...to prove my "rightness" on the location of a particular product! 🤣 I win! haha
Well that is about enough unnecessary rambling fluff for a Sunday morning, even if I enjoyed diving into something less weighted or serious or deeply meaningful for a change.
