Deer Bear

A quote from my favorite book: Medicine Cards
by Jamie Sans and David Carson

Today I pulled the bear card, from “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sans and David Carson. Anita pulled the deer card, contrary position.

The bear represents introspection and seeks the sweetness of truth.The bear hibernates during the winter ”to digest the year’s experiences.” It also says: “To accomplish the goals and dreams that we carry, the art of introspection is necessary.” Entering into silence and allowing the self to know at the deepest level is important.

Anita’s card was lovely as I have been letting fear seep into my clear crystal river and I needed to read this.

“You may not be willing to love yourself enough to feel your fears and let them go. You may be projecting your fears on others. It may also be others whom you fear, reminding you of a time when you reacted to life in much the same manner. At any rate, LOVE is the key. The only true balance of power is the love and compassion of Deer. Be willing to find things to love about yourself and others, and your demons will melt away.”

I adore Ireland and wish I had the money to start an Art School. I shall continue to dream about it and network and perhaps my dream will come true. The clock ticks toward my returning to San Francisco and I have lots of wonderful irons in the fire. It has been a introspective time this summer.

A time of gathering my energy back in after completing my masters in fine art. I have been lucky to have Anita’s home to seek serenity and tranquility this summer. It has been a lovely summer of walking along the beach and dreaming big dreams. I have surrounded myself with bubbles of dreams and ask my friend, the wind to urge them toward God.

I hope God sees the wishes of dichroic glass bubbles and is pleased by them.

Paddy--I love the bones of you!

Friends are incredible to have.

This blog is about my friend in Ireland. Paddy is an incredible friend, stepping in and assisting whenever needed and reading my mind with art projects and supporting me with his research. I think he knows me more than I know myself.

He is a behind the scenes support system.Today I take the diamond that he is and hold him upon my palms and let the sunshine reflect his multifaceted beautiful soul! 

Thank you Paddy for being so incredibly supportive! You see what needs to be done, and you quietly step in and support. You drop hints here and there and eventually “I get it” and am thrilled with your grin as the dots connect.

You seem to know me more than I know myself. Amazing talent Dear. 

You are funny and wonderful and marvelous to be around. The joker of the family- which I love! We need to figure out how to be around more. (grinning) You are the changing of the guard and run in while Anita and I run out.

You are an angel.

I love the butterfly lights—they light up the green house magnificently. They reflect off the glass and it looks incredible. I love the rope light and the bottle lights— they make the garden magical! It is lovely to sit and contemplate the meaning of life with you glowing fabulously!

Thank you Paddy for your love and support!! (hugging and squeezing you tight)

I adore the bones of you!

Peripheral rain

One of a kind art created especially for this blog.
Art by Judith Parsons 2017

Peripheral visions and rain. Yesterday was a day when I saw something out of the corner of my eye which surprised me … lightning and thunder also surprised me.

As I was sitting at the dining table having lamb stew, I saw a very tall man who was all white walk by. Upon his shoulders was a white furry shawl. He walked very fast beside the kitchen window. Truth be told — it startled me. Anita saw me jump out of my skin as I turned to try and catch the vision before it passed by. 

Another thing that made me jump was lightning in Ireland. The rain in Ireland generally is soft and gentle. Rarely have I ever seen lightning and thunder here. Times- they are a changing!

Anita is very protective of me. It is her nature to be protective. She was a nanny, caring for others children, never having her own. I wonder about her as a young woman, how she must have been with young children. 

My grandmother used to let me snuggle into her bosom. It was a comforting way to fall asleep. Anita opens her arms and allows me to snuggle into her arms. As I closed my eyes the white man in the garden was in my subconscious space. He was waiting for me to have a conversation.

He said: “I know you saw me.”

“Yes. You were fast, but not fast enough. I need to know if you are good energy.”

He replied: “Yes.”

I told him he could stay and become the guardian of the garden. The “GG”. 

He said he would watch over the garden for us.

Butterfly and crows

Playing with a butterfly photograph.
Judith Parsons Ireland 2017

I wrote another blog yesterday about addiction, and then this white butterfly showed up last night. Then I decided to make art with it.

The art spoke louder than the addiction. Truth be told, it was a little preachy. NO one likes to be preached at…so I spared you the boring blog.

I am very in tune with what crosses my path.

Last night a white moth landed upon my hand. I made art with it. What you see is plain ole’ playing in photoshop. It is a favorite thing to do.

This morning a hundred black birds flew into 2 trees down the lane. I can remember the other time the birds did that. Those sorts of moments stay with you. Do you remember life events, memories with birds that speak to your soul?

I was teaching school in Louisiana, it was wintertime and there was a chill in the air. I remember being in awe of the covering of black in the sky. The birds obscured the blue for a few seconds. It was a memory that lodged itself firmly in the filing cabinet of my mind.

I looked up the Native American medicine lesson and was graced with the words about the crow being the keeper of the sacred law. The crow was the shape shifter, the changer and maker of reality. A lovely read about appreciating your life and the abundance you have.

Try if you are so inclined to live life without obscuring your reality. Life in the moment of butterflies and crows. Turn on your tunes, music soothes the savage beast. Breathe, relax, tap your toes, raise your shoulders…sashay. (Just because I love that word!!)

Thank you for reading. Thank you Anita for allowing me to ramble on about the nothings and everythings here in your beautiful home.

Five steps up 2 steps back

Today you have an image...no rambling words.

Just steps

moving upward

separating

as they rise

...

Rotating the steps

Making them transparent


Nothing special




Just art for arts sake
Judith Parsons Art- i Ireland 2017

Anita.4

“Is it Raining?!%#!”

Out of a deep sleep she startles wide awake with the question: “Is it raining?” I could tell by the saucer size eyes upon her face, it was. I didn’t have to look out the window. Awakened from a deep solid sleep, Anita has super powers beyond belief. 

The woman can hear rain out a dead sleep. I look out the window and surer than hell the heavens had opened upon out lovely dry clothes. Yes, I saw as we both bolt outside to quickly retrieve the days/damp/wet wash. 

I must say, Ireland makes my heart strong. That moment- that terrible awakening with her hand grasping my bicep with clenched fingers, brought me wide awake like a lightning bolt. Ireland is not for the weak of heart.

The wash is in! Mission accomplished! Never have I felt more aware of how much time and effort goes into to clean clothes. Cleanliness is totally next to Godliness. God must be Irish

 and a WOMAN!

Anita.3.

The one attribute that keeps me coming back is compassion. Compassion is an incredible gift to give another person. If you are caring for an elderly parent or a person with dementia then you know exactly where I am coming from. Whether the decline is of the body or the mind, you as the caregiver are standing in the rapids of life. Trying to support and hold up a loved one who can’t stand up in the harsh flowing waters of life anymore.

Anita is doing that for her mother. It is a constant energy buttressing and supporting her mother. 

The photograph you see is a local cathedral not far from her home, I could have found a better image of a church with buttressing. Sorry. 

How ever if you know your art history then you know the term “buttress”. As men designed and built churches that were taller and more magnificent they needed to design reinforcing walls to help hold up the basilica design. Most of the churches were built with large stain glass windows that allowed magical light into the interior.

So the challenge was to support a wall, without blocking the light from the large windows. Thus, the buttressing design was created. What has all of this to do with compassion and caring for an older person. It is the constant buttressing. The supporting of another soul 24/7.

Anita is an amazing woman. She doesn’t complain about her role as caregiver. She goes about her daily routines with a smile upon her face and strong straight back. She is doing what needs to be done.

She is a saint in my eyes. She is my inspiration and my heroine. 

Anita, your soul is stain glass- glowing incredibly!