It's been 9 months since I started this blog. That means this year is 3/4 of the way done. Where has it gone? How can there be just 3 months left?
A while ago I wrote about how I wanted to take my photos to a new level with this blog. But maybe it's not time yet. Part of me really likes the simple, everyday, look around the house and see what's in front of me aspect. But another part is getting bored with that. It feels stale and like I should push myself to take pictures of something more interesting. I'm not sure.
I do know that mid-week has been a struggle of late, to come up with something to photograph. But maybe I just need to open my eyes a little more. This whole thing has been about being present, so perhaps that's all that's needed. Certainly though there's plenty around me that's photo and blog worthy.
And honestly, if nothing is going on that warrants photos, maybe that isn't such a bad thing. Maybe things being quiet is ok.
Peeks Around 21 is my nightstand. The cool lamp that was a wedding present, a poem Shawn wrote for our first anniversary, the first photo of me and Shawn together (as adults and I had to photoshop it together!), some crystals and stones and book of wisdom, all grace the nightstand. The alarm clock is on there and I really can't stand that. At one time, I had a "Zen" alarm clock. Instead of blaring sound, it would chime. And it would gradually get just a little louder. It's pretty cool, except one night, I noticed that it ticked. And the ticking kept me up all night. And that was it ... the Zen alarm clock was no longer zen. I think they make digital ones now which I should check into.
Also on the nightstand is a spray bottle. Why might I have a spray bottle on my nightstand, you ask. That is to chase away bad kitties. Bad kitties that pester in the middle of the night by digging in the trash can or scratching on something or licking. Sometimes all you have to do is pick up the spray bottle, maybe shake it a little and they take off. Other times they will stare at you with complete and utter defiance, like, go ahead, spray me bitch ... I dare you. Then when you do spray them they are completely indignant.
A little rainbow, hanging low in the sky.
Peeks Around 20 is a shelf hanging in the stairway to the third level of our house. The shelf is about 6 feet long and it holds a bunch of framed photos. The first two are photos of my Shawn's dad and my dad. Shawn's dad (first one from left) is probably in his mid-twenties and I think my dad is about 17 or 18 (second one from left). I remember when my aunt gave me that photo of my dad and I was like, who's this? Of course I had seen photos of my father but they were of him when he was 29 or 30. It's hard to believe our fathers were ever this young.The other photos are of me and friend, me and my Persian cousins (all the girls), the Triumvirate (Nelli, Tiki and Mr.) and Shawn and one his buddies.
What the hell? Is it some kind of creature with it's claw holding on to some kind of egg?
Actually, it's a fancy gourd. A few years ago I found these wacky, wacky looking gourds and thought they would be great to put out around the house for the fall season. They are all twisted, almost evil looking. Some have "warts" all over them and most of them are very phallic.
Below is a photo of the seasonal altar where this gourd is hanging. There are some other gourds on the altar. Notice the big phallic one to the right.
First signs of Fall. Our neighbor's tree is starting to turn. Now, the rest of the tree is still pretty green but there was this one branch with turning leaves.
The Autumnal Equinox was on Tuesday. This is a time to take harvest of all the accomplishments of the year and give gratitude. It's also a time to find balance. And on top of that, it's my favorite season of the year.
It's still warm, in some cases a little too warm, like yesterday and today. Hot, humid and seemingly still August. But for the most part, with that warmth, you start to get a little chill, a nice crispness in the air. Often by the end of Summer, especially here in the DC area, the air becomes so stagnant and stale. Time for scarves, boots and jackets. Don't get me wrong, I do lament having to put the flip flops away but my poor, bedraggled feet are ready to be closed in.
The sun is softer and more golden, highlighting the amazing deep, soulful colors of the season. Flowers are still around but leaves are turning color and falling. It seems so much more magical than other times of the year.
Plus, Fall is when Shawn and I got together, got engaged and got married. This season brings all of the excitement and magic of our relationship brimming to the surface. Happy Fall!!
Today was a great day. I took the opportunity of a free afternoon to make some jewelry I had been wanting to make for a long time. Sometimes I really need to step away from being on the computer and weekend commitments. And, it's new moon in Virgo. Time to bring order out of chaos. And new moon is a time for creating. AND ... Virgo energy is organizing energy.
So here's what I did this afternoon.
Contrary to my Gemini nature, I set up my work area really well. Everything I needed to either side of me, tools all right there. And what do you know, that organization manifested into some kick ass productivity. I had a bunch of pendants that I had never found a good thing for them to hang on. So I made strands to hang pendants from. And they are just awesome.
2 Oms, a Ganesha, a moonstone (not pictured here) and another pendant (not pictured here) that says Follow Your Heart on one side and on the other Live Life Love Life, so yes I can flip it around! Some of them have gemstones, some of them just glass beads.
In spending 4 hours or so working on these, I was present the whole time. It was very meditative, a quiet mind, just putting one bead on a string at a time. 
This is a clay piece I did when I was in school. I was taking Clay Scultpure Studio which was an advanced class where you determined what you were going to do. I decided to do a series of pieces based on Georgia O'Keefe paintings. This is one of those. In fact, it was the first one, which inspired a completely different body of work. I should try to find the original painting I based it on and compare them side by side. In over 10 years I have never done that.
I also entered this piece into a Flower and Art Show. Art and floral displays together. This piece won Best of Show. I'll never forget ... I was at Myrtle Beach Bike Week with my friend Maria. I checked my messages and the dude in charge of the show had left me a message. I called him back and he told me the news. When I got off the phone I jumped up and down all over the room totally excited. Maria didn't even know what had happened.
I titled this piece Essence as I felt it really did capture the essence of that painting. It sits on a cool little built in shelf at the bottom of our stairs where judging from this pic, it's on gallery like display (except for the dust. Note to self ... need to dust). I was just testing my flash, got this and decided to share.
Peeks Around 19 is my jewelry box. I've never found a jewelry box that really works. None of my necklaces fit on the necklace thing, so I hang them on the little door. Earrings are in a drawer and I couldn't even tell you without looking what's in the other 3 drawers. Clearly stuff I don't wear, probably because I don't know it's there. I'm the kind of person that needs to see things in front of me to keep them in the forefront of my mind. So much for the jewelry box.
Jam Face. It looks like it's painful.
I've introduced the African Violet before. The first time I introduced it was back in March, March 1st to be exact. It had one or two little flowers and a bunch of buds. Then April 1 it had a bunch of blooms. Well, here it is over 6 ... SIX ... months later and it has been blooming all this time. SIX months people. I don't know of any other plant or flower, or at least we don't have any that have bloomed this long and this beautiful. Some of our plants bloom the most beautiful flowers for a day, some a week, some a month, some maybe even 2 or 3 months. But not six months.
Actually this African Violet has bloomed like this before and for longer. When we first got it in September of 2007, it bloomed for over 10 months. Then it took about a 2 month break to rest and refuel. We determined that this plant has graced us for so long because it was grateful that we saved it. Had we not brought it home from my mother's funeral it likely would have perished.
We've also determined that this plant, once it does pass (and I have no idea how long it may live), will reincarnate as either an animal or a person. It's got amazing energy ... it's clearly burnt off any bad karma. We have other plants that we believe will reincarnate as animals or people. So, really, when it comes down to it ... plants are people too.
Lucy being cute but VERY aware of a hovering bug.
Above is a moonflower bud. It will probably bloom tomorrow night. Below is the moonflower from last night that whose time here is over. The beginning and the end ... so very close together. 
The moonflowers are starting to bloom. They've been a little off this year. Not a lot of foliage and not a whole lot of buds. But even if I only get one moonflower, it's all worth it. These flowers are just spectacular and they have a very light fragrance. It's about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and as the night becomes darker, it will spread and open even more. These pics were taken about 6:30pm, so it had probably been open about 30 to 40 minutes. By morning it will be wilted and fading.
This is actually the second one to bloom. You have to be present and aware to catch these. I didn't notice the moonflower that opened Tuesday night until this morning when it's time had already come to an end.
Lucy Poo, looking for that special toy. Too bad it wasn't in the toy basket. It was most likely under the stove. And none of those other toys were doing it for her at the time.
