2089. meow

to be happy—

is it even possible?

silly question

 

“Little Zen Master” — 6 x 4” — Origami

Eckhart Tolle once said, “I have lived with several Zen masters, all of them cats.” And so have I. Cats are mindful and know how to live in the moment. They eat when hungry and rest when tired, and their purring sounds are said to be vibrationally healing. Peaceful by nature, they never hurry or worry yet can spring to action on a dime.  Some Buddhist cultures believe cats to be holy. On the death of a person, someone who had reached the highest level of enlightenment on earth, the soul returns one last time to live as a cat. And when that cat dies, it’s soul is then freed forever.

2088. Siku

what is she dreaming

big white dog of the north

when will it snow?

Things not going your way? Sometimes the thing to do is just to settle down, sit back, and wait. “If we learn to enjoy waiting, we don’t have to wait to enjoy.” There is always some miracle happening right now.

2087. looking back

this old pine

grown old with grace and beauty

gone now

 

This old picture came up on my photo feed. For years, I watched this tree slowly turning more and more brown, giving witness to the changing beauty of old age and of simply being alive on this earth. 

2086. everything changes

this old picture

showed up on my photo roll

ahhh….

 

Life is full of extremes. After days of suns redder than red and hazy smoke filled skies, I opened the windows this morning to let in some cool fresh air. Yes, everything changes.

2085. serenity

a walk on the earth 

and the sky and the wind

and the rising moon

 

This is what matters.  

2084. crows

the two of them

vying for the last word….

are they married?!

 

Two old crows, bantering. They seem to enjoy the back-and-forth of their exchange. What do you think they’re talking about? The humidity, the heat, their next caper, what’s for lunch? I love listening to crows, they always seem to know what they’re talking about.

2083. young again

up in the air

the young girl cuts loose

and scores

Just down the street there’s a summer basketball camp where I go after dinner in the early evening to watch boys and girls playing basketball. Watching these girls stirs the young girl in me. I didn’t play basketball when I was young and I know I can’t now and that’s okay, yet in my heart, I feel that I can. I’m right there on the court running with the ball, beating the defender, and floating the shot with a smile, every time.

2082. lucky dog

after-dinner stroll

a man pushing a stroller

lucky dog

 

When it’s time to walk the dogs, Dan pushes Hershey in the stroller. Hershey’s blind but that doesn’t keep him from going for a walk. He’s a lucky dog. (Hershey is the cutest little curly-haired grey poodle. Sorry for the blurry picture.)

2081. lazy day

lazy day

enjoying the morning cool

the geese and i 

 

Floating by on the lake taking in the morning cool. . .feeling lazy.

2080. after the rains

morning after

fog comes creeping in

shrouding the lake

*

the fog slips in…

for my ears only, i hear

the vireo’s song

 

Weather comes and goes on a whim, and so too does the Eastern Warbling Vireo.

https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+warbling+vireo+song&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari&sei=J8hKataWHtiA5OMPr5CmkA4

2079. Happy 4th!

morning

sun coming up over the lake

what’s that bird?

Happy 4th of July! It’s morning, 73° breezy, sun coming up over the lake, dog licking my toes. I hear a new bird singing—Eastern Warbling Vireo. Sweet. 

 

2078. time

sun settles down

streetlights slowly light up

one by one

Day turns to night and night turns to day. It’s morning now. Even through windows shut tight to keep out the heat, I can hear the birds singing. The birds go on singing no matter what. It takes time to sing and time to listen. Life’s all about time. It’s all we really have and don’t. Enjoy it. 

2077. the perfect spot

neat and sweet

under the shady shadows—

the perfect spot

It’s 101°. And the Scion speaks: “This is the perfect spot. Doing my best to keep cool under three digit skies. Who cares if she has to walk a mile to go shopping?”🛍️😘

2076. veni, vidi, vici!

veni, vidi, vici!

she sees, she stops….then let’s out 

a slow whistle

 

What’s this?! What kind of car is this? It was a beauty.  Somehow, I just knew this was something different, special. I googled it. A vintage 1976-78 Ford Mustang Cobra II, celebrated by fans as an authentic, fun-to-drive time capsule of 1970s American street culture and retro styling. What was it doing in the village church parking lot? I scratched my head.

2075. hideaway

ahh, yess

feet in the water, face in the sun

the little frog

 

A perfect blend of softness and hardness, sunlight and shadows, land and water, stillness and movement. His own little hideaway—the little frog.🐸 

2074. congratulations!🎊

exchanging vows

for love, laughter, and joy:

hillary and kevin

 

Kevin Ravasio (Dan’s son) and Hillary Cadra will marry today. I made this card with cranes to wish them a wonderful lifetime together. In Japan, cranes are auspicious and sacred. They symbolize good fortune, healing, longevity, peace, and wedded bliss. 

2073. lumberjack

high up in the air

the trunk cuts loose, and all

the men cheer

 

The old towering oak tree falls section by section all the way down with a dull heavy thud to the ground. And on the ground, all the other workers wait and watch and cheer.

2072. the mermaid

there she is… 

all smiles, waving to the crowd—

the mermaid 🧜‍♀️

Last night we went to the movie theater to see the old 1948 black-and-white film, Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. And there she was—the star of the film in living color!🧜‍♀️

2071. the journey

man and his dog

taking care of business

movin’ on

Everybody’s got a phone…in the car…in the office…in the living room…in the bathroom…on the train…waiting for the bus…out walking the dog. “The journey is the reward.” Steve Jobs

2070. psssst!

suspicious suspect

hiding out at the rectory,

hoping to be saved

 

Psssst! Don’t tell….don’t give me a way.😽

To hide is sometimes necessary, but after hiding, then what? Then what? I can hear my mother saying, “Now how, brown cow?”

2069. clever feller!

he’s no dummy

knows all the ins and outs

yummy-yum-yummy!

 

Hey, look—that’s a window feeder for the birds. How’d he get in there?!!

2068. happy father’s day!❤️

sun going down

pushing up, up the long hill

dad and the twins

Happy Father’s Day! Hats off everywhere to Fathers, Dads, Pops, Papas, Abbas, Tatas, and more for their protection, presence, constancy, determination, devotion, support and love. ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

2067. if….

if….

if i were a bee, i would 

zero in on you

 Ode to a lilium. 🐝 

2066. imagine…

one paper heart 

lifting up, up and away,

imagine…

 

Life is story. The other day I was playing around with this picture, and then I saw this quote, “Your life is story. Right well. Edit often.”

2065. cat and dog

the cat

creeping on tender paws

doesn’t blink

 

This is a picture of a card from a friend wishing me a happy birthday. She said the kitty’s playing with yarn and eating long noodles. Looks fun! From the time I could use chopsticks, I ate long noodles for my birthday year after year after year. This custom of eating long noodles on your birthday signifies living a long life. I’m still here.😘

I was born in the Chinese Year of the Dog. Dog people are said to be friendly, responsible, observant, and sometimes stubborn. Next time around, I’d like to be a cat, so I’ll aim for the Chinese Year of the Tiger. Tigers are king of beasts—courageous, adventurous, honest and direct, and they can be stubborn too!😘

2064. flying east

beginnings:

cut, fold, snip, fold, paste….

ten thousand times

*

listening

to chinese music, thinking

of my father

 

Beginning now, another origami composition with little birds….wondering where they will lead me….drifting all the way home to China.

2063. the power of play

two little trucks

one more and a small pushcart

2 + 2 makes 4

*

gently used toys

free to a good home

thinking of Yulin

I was totally charmed by two little gently-used trucks, left there by the side of the road free for the taking for some other child to play, imagine and dream. Then while I was taking pictures, two more toys joined in on the scene. This made me think of my big brother, how he loved the Toy Story movies about the secret lives of toys when humans aren’t around. 

 

2062. i don’t get it

we’re in a heat wave

firewood for sale $6.99

i don’t get

 

I don’t get it. Temperatures the past five or six days have been mid 80s to low 90s—super hot and humid! Right now it’s 8 o’clock at night and the local supermarket has three pallets of firewood on sale out in front of the store. Who’s going to buy firewood in a heat wave?! Did I say, I don’t get it!?

2061. YIKES!!!

STOP!

don’t move!—that looks like the 

shoe eating plant!!!🫪

 YIKES!!!

2060. us and them

 

too hot, too humid

not doing much at all

just sitting

 

There we were, us and them—five vultures—just sitting. Interesting how if you sit still long enough, saying nothing, doing nothing but just looking around, you can see life patiently waiting to unfold. 

2059. another old selfie

oh, happy day…. 

today—today’s the day

it’s a girl!

*

29,220 days

she’s an oldie but goodie—

hooray!🥳 

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw 

My golden rules:  Get curious. Tinker, play, explore. Discover something new. Go beyond what you think you know. Never stop learning. 

2058. bzzz…bzzz…buzz!

two bumble bees

among the flowers and the weeds

bzzz…bzzz…buzz!

 

Bumble bees live a simple life. All they need to be happy is a bit of food, some shelter and a few flowers among the weeds. Happiness comes from within. 

2057. dreaming of butterflies

she’s gone away now 

dreaming of butterflies….

thank you

 

“Dreaming of Butterflies” — 22x16” — Origami

She’s gone away now, my little paper doll, dreaming of butterflies. Fancy in her long robe of many colors patched together corner to corner, end to end, one by one by one. Thank you. 

This piece was hanging on the gallery walls of a neighborhood restaurant where patrons gather to enjoy good food in good company surrounded by works of art for sale from many different artists. I am fortunate to be among the many artists. This piece was there only a short while—10 days—before someone saw her and took her home. I’m grateful. Now I am working on another paper doll, this one in lovely blue aizome papers.

2056. moondance

the time is right

it’s a fantabulous night

for romance 🎼 

 

All those lines up in the sky like a musical score….and the moon, oh the moon. My mind flew away to that marvelous song by Van Morrison:  Moondance 

2055. smile!

just this one

in a field of daisies, 

dares to bloom

 

Bold as sunshine…the leader of the pack!

2054. rice soup

rice soup

filling the picture nicely

yummm…

 

Too late to eat a hearty meal? Not in the mood for a big meal? Or too hot to cook? This light and tasty soup takes 15 minutes. It’s one of my quick & easy faves. Rice Soup: chicken broth, cooked rice, baby spinach, tofu, nori, cloud ear mushrooms, pine nuts, scallion.

2053. smelling roses

how many ways

to start a summer day

smelling roses

 

 

This morning I opened the windows wide and sat down in my reading chair, feeling the soft touch of morning air cool against my skin. Outside, I heard the crow who talks like he’s got something important to say, always, and the red bird serenading his mate across the way. Occasionally there’s the whoosh of a car on the road wheeling by…the quick patter of heavy feet of some runner running by out front…and the clackety-clack-clack on the rails behind the house of the early rush-hour train rushing by as I sit in my chair sipping French Roast, feeling good. Later on, I’ll go out to smell more roses.

2052. munch!

scurry-scurry

run-run, scurry-hurry, run—

stop-and-eat

 

Squirrels are the masters of stop and go! or go and stop! This one just sat there for the longest time, watching from the side of its eye, holding on to some nut. Munch! Munch!

2051. we go walking

we go walking

over and over again

and fall in love

 

Just on the other side of the busy city streets with cars and trucks and sirens rumbling by, lie these trees and flowers and rocks and the quiet creek endlessly streaming by. This is where we want to be. 

2050. another selfie

who is that

looking back at me—

who?

Every time the brush meets the paper, I wonder what will be. I pick up the brush, look in the mirror and go….then see what comes.  Did that really come from me? Or was it the brush doing the brush, or even the ink that had something to say. I wonder. It’s a good one to meditate on. 

2049. life on a string

all on a string

how they float and flutter

400 white doves

 

“Life On A String”— 43x50”— Origami 

Here’s a close-up view of the Origami piece in my earlier post No. 2039 now hanging in my bedroom. I love their gentle, silent motions…how these many birds sometimes stir softly, turn, and flutter on their long strings as I pass by. They make me think of an old movie I’ve seen more than once, “Life On a String,” a Chinese fable about an old blind musician, traveling the countryside with his young apprentice as he dreams of seeing once more before he dies. I wouldn’t mind seeing the movie again….it may be streaming on Netflix.

2048. on the road

hurry, honey!

can’t wait to get to bed and

cuddle😘

 

Have Gun will travel… have Spacesuit will travel….have Laptop will travel….have Kids will travel….have Music will travel….have Bed will travel!

2047. ha…ha…ha.

a laugh a day

keeps the doctor away

ha…ha…ha…

 

Laughter is the best medicine. 😆