Work In Progress ~ Just do what you can do today

It is one of those months

in which

I have random pieces

all over my house

in various stages of completion.

Sometimes

I like them incomplete.

I especially love

the morning sunshine

that casts shadows and gold

through the windows.

Everything looks its best in that light.

Our calendar swells with activity.

Our life is full.

Our life is good.

I find myself saying "no" to lots of great and wonderful things

so that I can just be in the presence

of my family

in the precious few hours each week that we have together.

If I don't keep my head and heart in check,

I get overwhelmed.

You too?

So, to beat the overwhelms,

this morning, I started to work on this piece:

Just do what you can do today.

My kids always joke that I need to keep one of these for myself.

Yes, they know me best.

They know that the things I make are not things I have mastered

but things I need to remember.

I ruffled through my stash of papers and happened upon

some prints my mom had made of my grandma's diaries for reunion decorations.

I randomly selected one to fit in the theme of just today.

I didn't even read it.

But as I began to adhere it to the board,

I read:

Chilly day warmer this afternoon.

Ground white with snow this morning

all gone by noon.

Tommy did the chores and feeding.

Had to get a cow in tonight and sew her up.

Had the whole thing out.

Oh yes, indeed, Grandma Edna and Grandpa Tommy, just doing what you can do today.

If you have not raised cattle, you might know about cattle that hemorrhage their entire uterus.

It is by far one of the most difficult, messy, frustrating, yucky jobs on the ranch...

and sometimes the mama cow just can't make it after that kind of trauma.

That was Grandpa Tommy's "just do what you can do today".

I continued to read the part I had cut off

learning that my grandma had gone to town, cleaned house except for the kitchen

and to top the day off,

one of my uncle's got shot in the mouth with a BB gun

"fooling around"

as she put it.

My uncle was fine.

Just spit the BB out.

Friday, April 19, 1963.

Just doing what they could do that day.

~ * ~

Find me here this fall:

and here:

Note To Self Mixed Media Art Class

Saturday October 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

at Create!Studio in Rapid City

Click the link above for all of the details and to register.

And soon to be announced,

but mark your calendars...

a class at Sturgis Photo and Gifts, Sturgis, SD, 

on Thursday, October 23 from 6-9 p.m.

Here's a clue:

I will also be at the Wink Ranch at Howes, SD on October 25.  

Official details coming tomorrow!

Seriousness Isn't a Fruit of the Spirit, but Joy Is

Chasing the last light of summer as it spins to fall,

I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite bands:  Rend Collective.

Here it is,

"Seriousness isn't a fruit of the spirit, but joy is."

Be inspired by their bio video of The Art Of Celebration here:  Rend Collective Bio

filled with Irish-ness, joy, opened eyes, celebration, art . . .

totally reminds me of the childlike joy that our youngest brings back to our family.

Oh, it's been a lotta serious around me lately,

but then . . .

I am inspired by the words of my friend Junelle Jacobsen ...

visit her blog here:  YES and AMEN

and you will see what inspired these photos.

She never fails to stir my spirit with her art whether in word, photo, watercolor, collage.

Here is Junelle's challenge to which I responded,

"Perhaps it is time for you to chase the summer light?  

Today may be the right day for your inspiration collection to begin...again.  

Listen to the woo.  

Be pulled by the light.  

Trust the holy muse and find your shoes.  Just go.  

I can't wait to hear what you find~"

Not only has it been a change of season,

it's been a life changing season around here.

Our oldest has started high school.

For us, living an hour from the nearest high school in all directions,

means that he is living with my parents during the week.

I am made to let go 

and 

continually 

my inability 

to fix 

and mend 

and make it all ok 

and right

is evident.

And

that is

ok.

He injured his knee on the third day of football practice.

X-rays, ice packs, an MRI, doctor visits.

And then I get the call that my youngest fell and broke both of her wrists.

More X-rays, ice packs and doctor visits.

My heart lets go a bit more.

And we are all ok.

And joy persists.

See?

We miss him during the week.

But . . . even among siblings . . . it is true

that

absence makes the heart grow fonder.

It's good to see his car coming down the road.

Joy.

It isn't stopped by a couple broken bones.

Joy.

It's in this magic golden light.

Yes?

Find me here this fall:

and here:

Note To Self Mixed Media Art Class

Saturday October 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

at Create!Studio in Rapid City

Click the link above for all of the details and to register.

And soon to be announced,

but mark your calendars...

a class at Sturgis Photo and Gifts, Sturgis, SD, 

on Thursday, October 23 from 6-9 p.m.

Here's a clue: