Big thanks go out to Jacqui for sharing this video! Isn't this artist just delightful?!! Wouldn't it be fun to make "crankies" with children?!
I completed a new Medicine Bag and began the leather piece seen her. Then I went on to add "CAMARADERIE" on the Word Cloth. This is a word which has always held my heart. Recently it came up for me in a couple of places and I thought Ah-Ha...Word Cloth! So, there it sits, along the edge near "Belonging" - "Good Trouble" and "Ease". Feels good.
In going to check the river...I was shocked to see a large empty space. Where is my beautiful Cottonwood? The one with the yellow falling leaves...the one that photographs so well with the bridge, as it stands off to the side hugging it?
They had done some wood chip clean up, creating a circle of fresh raked dirt where we'd never seen one before. But, it was the changes the rushing water had made that surprised me. The missing Cottonwood will take some getting used to. A particular loss.
The river had gone down quite a bit since the rushing-roar of the Christmas rains. But, still a lot of water flowing towards the sea. A couple of successes in our Pooh Sticks games. There were people down in the riverbed - exploring.
We walked down the slight slope to the bank where the egret had stood to see if we could discover remains of the Cottonwood. All that stood was a piece of the trunk. The rest washed away. It was so hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that all of those branches were just gone. You can see it in in all of its glory in this post.
Before we went to the bridge, we'd been at the local protest. A much smaller group this time, perhaps due to less notice. Many signs reflected the outrage over the killing of Renee Good. Say her name. This one, while it presented as seasonal and pretty...it spoke what so many others have been saying.
Today, Sunday, had us visiting another park, #12. There were sustainable gardens with native plants, places for baseball and soccer, a climbing structure and lots of wide open room to run. We met a charming toddler who was gleefully happy to do just that: run, find rocks & a stick and generally be a two year old. He noticed J. with his cane and mimicked by walking bent over his not-quite-long-enough stick, using it as his own cane. He played hide-and-seek with his grandma, carried his treasured, found baseball and climbed on rocks. Hearing his laughter was a high point. Otherwise, we rated the park pretty low as there was not much of interest, the 'native plants' were not labeled in the learning garden. Of course the other perks were seeing a new kind of acorn, different from the ones we are used to, seeing a lovely purple Iris blooming and seeing a young boy playing catch with his baseball cap while waiting for practice to start.
These small moments of humanity help shift the balance a bit during this difficult time.
Across the road from the park are more of the bike/walking path that runs along the river. We checked out a tiny bit and made a plan to come back to explore it more. It is hard to see the river from the path, but maybe further along it is easier to do so. We'll see another time.
There were so many crows playing in the sunshine. There are enough trails and paths and parks to last a very long time of exploring. It has been nice to see new places...to get out again, to see typical people doing regular things. That's no small thing right now...not because there are not folks just going about their lives, because many are, many have on blinders. It is more because seeing this helps one not drown in the troubles of the world.
I added "courage" to the World Cloth. I think we need a lot of that these days. On the little loom is a Medicine Bag for an old friend, in the colors she likes: coral & purple.
Where do you find balance?
May you experience life's holes being filled with goodness
At the bridge today, I was surprised by how much the riverbed had changed since we were there on October 10th. Where once we could see gobs of green growth over the water, we now see the river flowing and lots of the riverbed exposed. We had a big rainstorm on the 14th, and today we could see how washed out things had gotten.
Right away we saw a coyote meandering through the riverbed...strolling through the water...back and forth. It looked very healthy - at a good weight and all.
After the moments of trying to stay informed, I escape to videos like these. Art, nature...peacefulness. I escape to making something or another. I give (leave) gifts, which not only brings me joy...but hopefully spreads that joy around a bit. I find ways to get through.
I had gathered red, white, and black tid-bits to make this art stick. After working on it a bit, my energy for it ran dry. So, I added some more bits for the making and left it with an offering for the whoever finds it to continue on. The other side of the larger tag reads "Free Enjoy", as usual. I hope it brightens someones day.
There was a woman at the bridge today, arrived when we did...she took a small journal and stood out in the brush, facing the bridge. I couldn't be sure, but it looked like she was sketching what she saw. I wonder if she saw the coyote down there? On our way out, as she walked in front of us, she paused to look and the plant life and to pick up a leaf. I kind of wished the lil art stick had already been planted, as she seemed like one who could appreciate such things. Anyway, I do hope it is found and embraced.
"Add your own treasures" & "May every knot, twist of the braid...every button or bead hold peace, health and love"
Last, but not least...I added some 'compassion' to the word cloth, as I am still considering what Beth from Still Life Pond questioned about empathy VS compassion. Something I want to ponder long term.
“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
― Mary Oliver
I've been listening to this CD in the car...a lot! We have a history together. The song "Flowers" is a real favorite because it has such deep, meaningful teaching memories for me.
When I worked with Kindergarten students, they had a 'required' rest time. They didn't sleep... ever. So, I had the daily opportunity to introduce them to all kinds of music. Music they most likely would not have heard otherwise. I played a wide variety of music and particular artists that were more on the 'listen while resting' side of things. This CD was most loved, but we listened to Carlos Nakai flute music and the greatest hits of Louis Armstrong - where "What a Wonderful World" was beloved - they were often inspired to draw rainbows after their introduction to this song 🙂. There were many others, but you get the point.
This song, "Flowers" has such fond memories for me...I even played it for J. on the way to City Park the other day. haha It got stuck in his head and I have heard little Ah-Ha's! escape.
My kindergarten students would lay on their mats in the darkened Childcare Building...resting. When this song played, I would hear tiny 5 year old voices popping up around the room - singing Ah-Ha! I could see their little bodies wiggle with the joy of this song (so much for resting, eh?! haha) and then came another round of Ah-Ha's! I can still picture this scene.
I loved teaching. Being with the children (of all ages) brought me just as much joy over the years. Joy and connections in our shared experiences. Some of those run so deep that my old co-workers (really friends at this point) still talk about them. The ability to be present and make such meaning is a value beyond words.
As I've listened, I've thought a lot about Deb, as a fellow teacher and about Marti as a dance lover (track #9)! And...so many grandchildren for all.
You can listen to "Flowers" HERE (the words are there too)
We were back over at Placerita Nature Center Sunday. I wanted to check in on the pollywogs and walk in the shade. Our last visit was May 30th. Upon arrival, we both noticed a PRIDE flag hanging alongside the United States, California, and Los Angeles County flags and commented on it at the same moment. This inclusivity made us feel so good.
Belonging...
I tried out the new bench, discovered on our last visit. The wood was so smooth and warmed from the afternoon sun. Stopping to sit, rather than just a quick photo as I went by, gave us time to notice the encased golf ball in the bench's backrest. I guess Mark Thompson was a golf lover.
Belonging...
What we noticed in the trees this time was how compatible the different species of trees were. This grand Oak and grand Sycamore look practically grafted together. I marveled at how this could take place, on its own in nature. No humans needed, eh?
We began to see places where the Sycamores grew up around the Oak stumps, their trunks close and their leaves entwined in the bright blue sky.
Belonging...
We found a large group of pollywogs in the second pool we observed. Still trying to figure out where in their lifecycle they are. The first pool we'd discovered them in last time was empty. Had they moved on? Had they become frogs? Mmm? I noticed how this group stay very close together, as a large orange dragonfly zoomed back and forth above. Was this a protective behavior, so a dragonfly nymph could not catch one so easily?
Belonging...
Because I had recently considered and then added "belonging" to the Word Cloth...I saw everything in the surrounding days as groups, teams, tribes, species...ways demonstrating belonging. From trees that communicate with each other to two crows hopping from branch to branch, clacking to each other to a group of flags representing people and place to very large groups of humans coming together to stand for common beliefs..."belonging" has been everywhere.
The old Sesame Street song came to mind..."One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn't belong"...
If I hadn't seen it land, I'd have never seen it.
Did you see it? Isn't it beautiful?
The biggest 'acorn caps' (?) I've ever seen!
I'm grateful for a good time outside on Sunday...for the sights, scents, movement, breeze, discoveries...a good day with great company.
I added 'belonging' where it would fit (spaces getting pretty full now), using a bright and happy yellow to symbolize how good one feels when they feel a sense of belonging (and to show up on the darker background). It ended up near "Good Trouble", which seemed quite fitting.
Where do you feel your biggest sense of belonging ?
