Ester

This is Ester. She is waiting patiently by the fireplace. Here friends Della and Lillie are going to be arriving shortly for afternoon tea.

Idle

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather in the eyes, In looking on the happy autumn-fields, And thinking of the days that are no more. Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail, That brings our friends up from the underworld, Sad as the last which reddens over one That sinks with all we love below the verge; So sad, so fresh, the days that are no more. Ah, sad and strange as in dark summer dawns The earliest pipe of half-awakened birds To dying ears, when unto dying eyes The casement slowly grows a glimmering square; So sad, so strange, the days that are no more. Dear as remembered kisses after death, And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feigned On lips that are for others; deep as love, Deep as first love, and wild with all regret; O Death in Life, the days that are no more!

Alfred Lloyd Tennyson, 1847

This is for Illustration Friday. The word this week is idle. I plan to draw something for it also. Check back later in this week if you are interested!

This is what I came up with! Sort of put it together quickly. I still want to do something different with the drawing. Another time!

The Girls

My red balloon girl revisited. This time she has a twin, and is standing in a shabby chic forest! I need to actually hold in my hand a pencil and sketchpad, and create some new "real" images, so I can create some more sureal images! It has been so long since I have actually done that. I have been pulling pics and changing them, painting them and layering them online. Using my little library of friends that are saved on my laptop! So much easier when your real life is in the way of your 'art' life, and you need that quick artistic fix!

Okay, so on the list for this weekend...create a new sketch. Wish me luck!

blue me and someplace I want to be

If you could describe yourself by using a color, what would it be? Mine would be this shade of pale aqua blue. I adore this color. It just seems so peaceful and sometimes a little dark. It depends on what you do with it. If I wouldn't totally bore people I would probably do all my photos with this shade in it!

I created this picture last night. I tried to make it look like a 'walkway' of water. It is definitely someplace that doesn't totally exist..but I wouldn't mind being there if it did. I have so grown to appreciate the tranquility of nature. It is something I no longer take for granted. I think spending so much time on long runs through the outskirts of town, and into the country has definitely added to my appreciation. Or perhaps the many long drives I took to visit patients who lived outside of town, while I was a visiting nurse or working for hospice. There finally came a time when I was no longer in such a rush to get places, and just happy to be going for the drive. The mere simplicity won me over.

The Seamstress

This is my bench Monday photo for flickr. I called it the seamstress. My dog Tia thought she might make an appearance also, though she looks a little shy here!

I took this photo on a past excursion this spring. Hmmm...funny, don't remember the hand there.

Rusty Feet

Yup, your feet tend to get a little rusty. Especially when they have tromped in and out of vineyards all day. This 'pair' happens to belong to a friend of mine, whom shall remain nameless! I took this pic as we were lounging on the balcony of our hotel room, after a long lazy day of winetasting!

This would be one of those vineyards I was talking about. Wouldn't it be great to just be able to wander and wander through the 'aisles' here!

Hollow

It was a day when Harriet was feeling especially hollow.

So she wore a mask upon her face,

hoping it would hide,

what did not reside

inside,

where she stored only a shell

of vast empty space.

I created this image for Illustration Friday this week. It has been ages since I participated, though not out of lack of desire to..just lack of time! I had such fun with this word and hope to maybe keep up a bit more with IF!

Dance Softly

Dance softly on my fragile soul,

for it has seen too much

and the world has gone too far.

It gathers within it so many tender, hateful scars.

As you twirl and glide,

step gingerly,

for your footprints will forever remain.

Following your heart, finding your place

Sometimes I feel so unsettled.

My mind cannot rest, no matter how much I try.

This tells me what is meant to be.

It answers questions,

as I try to figure out which road I should take.

I know what I cannot be without,

When I come back to it, a sinking feeling is gone,

a sadness is lifting, a need is fed,

and my heart can once again rest,

I think we all have this.

There is a 'place' that you can settle, a place you can call home.

Recognizing this place is the challenge.

I know where my places are,

and I love every one of them,

I can't begin to describe them all,

but I thank god for the peace they bring me,

Reaching For You

Reaching for you, because you've gone away.

I know, because they are twirling in the wind, only attached to me, broken off

at the other end. Floating freely, no one to hold them from within.

So I will let go, and watch them slowly ascend into the clouds.