stage fright

the only possible compliment to a gorgeous bouquet of pink peonies ... Oliver the best cat, ever

More pink & more perfect peonies.

I have three whole days ahead of me of freed up "me" creative time, free to create my own stuff, to make new things, to draw, to paint, to clip & snip, to glue. I'm caught up and on schedule with several ongoing freelance jobs. I've been waiting for this day, finally ... this open creative time.

It's my own stage I'm about to walk onto. The audience is huge, discerning & filled with critics. And I'm terrified, my mind keeps searching for little useless to-dos & should do's to prolong the actual act of diving in. Procrastination cozies up with fear. It's silly, it's strange, it happens always this way ... it never, ever, seems to go away. I have stage fright yet again while playing the leading role in my own production Les Lands of Creativity. Stay tuned for Act II ;-)

bears repeating

pinkest peonies - high up there on the top 10 list of flowers from the terracotta gardens

Be patient with all that is unsolved in your heart ...
Love the questions themselves

Sigh. But I have so many questions
gorgeous perfect words mentioned recently here then here & bears repeating yet again.

Working on an absolutely thrilling, super challenging, custom banner illustration project - oh my the first line drawing is complete (we LOVE it - client & moi) now if only I can turn this line drawing into the rich, detailed amazing collage/painting illustration that I have so beautifully & vividly imagined in my mind. ahhhh ... the thrill of a little heart pounding breathlessness.

Listening to the audio book with Pema Chodron - Don't Bite the Hook She's so cool ! Back to it !

eggs & turtlenecks

Missy D posing early this morning - we're back to grey & white & winter for a few days

10 everyday loves (cats, dogs & certain humans of course always sit at the top of this list)

1. eggs current fav softly poached on a toasted English muffin, S & P with a smidge of butter
2. coffee in bed every single morning of my life. period. very lingering, coffee in bed
3. keeping a journal (with my early morning coffee in bed), keeping my sanity
4. the library - the library, the library - movies, audio books, magazines & books galore
5. my blog - I am often left breathless at the beauty I've captured here ... & so unintentionally
6. the internet - it's Captain Curious' most best loved ally
7. turtlenecks - rolled up high over my chin - part security blanket / part neck warmer
8. nature* - I know it's a big one - but I am daily in awe of it all, everywhere, we are so lucky
9. the nest - my bed, the chocolate brown room, sill filled with geraniums in bloom - my haven
10. chocolate chips & mini marshmallows - a petite custard cup full, an every evening treat

this post prompted by Rachel from Jane - play along too if you like.


* simply stunning - original source unknown found on Geninne's Pinterest board

one more thing 1. dislike ... actually dislike is too mild a word. It's more of a rant, a rave, dare I say a hate - a plea .... please fellow bloggers, I beg of of you .... remove the word verification from your comment sections. Eerrgggghhhh. You are deterring commenters - I guarantee it. I've never had word verification applied to my blog in nearly 5 years & all spam goes to it's proper spam folder & I never see it. I've never had a problem with spam. Please consider.

brittle blooms

our first walk avec les cheins in the hayfield -

the bluest sky with muted cream, fields of golden
brittle blooms, the crows & dogs, strength & weakness shared
a line of white cold remains at the dark edge of spruce

mostly fur

mostly fur & all love

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.

Rainer Maria Rilke

beauty, beauty

beauty, beauty .... everywhere