Snow Drops

What a month I've had since I last posted. Almost an entire year has elapsed as we went from winter to spring to summer and now the north wind hints of winter again. I love our seasons. They keep me out of a rut both mentally and in activity. I've resisted pulling the winter mulch blanket off of the gardens not wanting to shock the plants with more dryness and night freezes. The early flowers could care less and others are poking up their heads anyway reminding me that they are late spring bloomers that have to get ready. I got out my trusty camera to shoot the changes. The snow drops were so white against the dull dried leaves that they consistently overexposed. You can see how much fun this overexposure can be in Photoshop from the my new print called Magic. And I finally digitized my late prints from last fall, perhaps just in time to open all the doors and start this year's prints! I got some different colors and blends by working wet on wet toward the end of the year. You may notice the difference in my prints, like the one above. The fact that my art is a stream rather than an even pleases me. I never know where it will take me -- though lately I have been certain it is not going to take me to the box that is the receipts, forms and data that is my taxes. Are taxes grounding or just annoying? I'm glad to pay my share because I value the parks, cops, and bridges they support. And I'm really glad for the moves of late to support the poorest of the poor. My friend Phil is of that group. It amazes me that he is alive every time I see him. He's been a friend for more than 20 years and was homeless for a good percentage of that time. I can't get my head around some of the far right who insist on not paying taxes, carrying guns, and saying they are "Christian." Taxes support the collective good. Guns kill people. And I thought Christ was all about the former and not the latter. These days I'm afraid those guns will be used to kill the poor to guarantee that everyone can keep "theirs." It's such bad karma. And that karma draws similar karma. These are trying times for the individualist culture we've developed. Such a hard edge. One of my favorite activities is to do something that improves the well being of someone else without wanting anything in return. I then sit back in my observant mind and watch that positive energy go out into the community. Sooner than later it comes zinging back to me as a grand gesture to help me by someone else. Spirit energy is so concrete...and amazing. The example of late is that I was going to apply to be one of the artists at the Loring Park Art Fair in August. The application needed to be done by March 15. It required a photo of my booth. Well, I don't have a picture of my booth because I'm so new to this art thing. My Dad and Allen were helping me put the pieces together. Even with all of that, it felt like I was pushing a river. Eventually I decided to do it next year instead of this year because we'd have the photos next year from the other fairs we're doing. The very next moment after I decided to wait, our phone rang. It was my sister-in-law (hmm, I bet that title is why she calls me sis) calling to ask if I would make my niece's bat mitzvah invitations. I was flattered to be asked. And that same afternoon, when I was at my bank depositing a check, they asked me to put my art up there again. I again flattered to be asked back. Since then I've had nothing but encouragement from the spirit plane as people find all sorts of ways to tell me they value my work. My Dad showed his coffee klatch a small book I made of my prints. A couple more purses have found their way to new owners. Friends have introduced me as an artist. Loved ones who have been given my cards have told me again and again how much people have liked the cards. And one of my big prints sold on Friday at the bank. I'm definitely on the right track. Now for those darn taxes!