Day 365 August 4, 2011

white sculpture clay, acrylic paint

Today brings an end to this daily blogging for Denise, of the blog 365 days of yoga and daily routine, and for me.  I intend to continue writing and posting images but I will do this when it feels like the right time, versus every single day; posting daily was one of the founding principles of the journey for Denise and I.  Yes, I still will do yoga asana practice every day, because I know it is such a help to me and fun as well.  Why wouldn't I?  As well, why wouldn't I continue my art practice daily?  When things feel right there is no issue with doing them, if anything, we can hardly wait to begin!

The words though, ah the words, they are more challenging for me to compose every single day so they will be posted sporadically, certainly.  Of course this resistance to daily writing goes against what many writers tell you to do, but I didn't say I wouldn't write daily, I just won't post daily.  There is a difference.

I leave you with a few words about a neighbour of mine who used to live across the road from me in Cape Breton when we were both young women.  From the vantage point of my Cape Breton farmhouse, her house was one of only two that I could see within the 360 degrees of visibility.  She and her family were from Toronto.  This is what I remember most about Sue.  She never spoke a word of criticism to anyone in my presence, even when I thought upon occasion, well, perhaps this or that should be said about X [you fill in the blank].  Sue was also soft spoken, a bit shy and she always had a personal story to share with you that cheered you up.

Sue's family was her centre; I knew her when her boys were young and whoever doesn't realize that raising two small boys is more than a full time job is a bit of a lunatic.  Sue and her husband were artists.  They worked with cloth, manufacturing luscious, wearable art garments and wall hangings.  After their family moved away, Sue went back to school and later went on to teach painting in a university.  She composed highly symbolic paintings and exquisite portraits, sometimes of her own family members.

One of my favourite memories of Sue was her joy at showing me one of her family's latest summer creations.  She walked me outside to her sprawling vegetable garden and there amidst the small rows of different vegetables was a bed of lettuce.  I mean there actually was a brass bedstead, a brass headboard and footboard set up on the ground and within its demarcated framework was a lush, thick carpet of tall lettuce leaves.  Sue's face lit up with such apparent joy as she watched me examine this work.

This tells you a lot about what was important to Sue and her family.  Laughter.  A common purpose.  Bringing an idea to life.  Sounds like a good plan for all families, don't you think?  Yes, Sue was inspirational.  May the love and joy in her life rub off on all of us.  That is the nature of love you know, whether it be love of food, love of art, love of good books, or love of family, for when you talk about love, it can always expand and include more.


Namaste.

Day 364 August 3, 2011

detail of acrylic painting

The day before the last blog in this project.  Ahhhhh.........

I've learned so much.  Denise and I both feel honoured to have completed this project together.  We have both learned an awful lot about yoga asana practice, daily routine, art practice and more.

Once I have my new blogspot up and running I'll include a link to this lovely project.  I think my new blog will simply be Muriel Zimmer.  Haven't made it yet, but I'll keep you posted.  I'm away for five days starting tomorrow, so I'll get to it once I'm off the boat and back on the land here at home.

Mr. Bear, our ten year old black labrador retriever, just came over to get a kiss.  He's such a sweetie.  I hope someone just came over to give you a kiss too :)

Well, I'm off and running.

Namaste.

Day 363 August 2, 2011

Jim's front room

My brother Jim lives in a very old house, set deep in the country in upstate New York.  His stone house was built about 200 hundred year's ago.  By some standards that is not an old house, but for Canadians a 200 year old house is an old house.  Of course by standards in India or China, 200 years is like yesterday afternoon.  I myself am getting a bit decrepit at my current age 65, at least compared to my youth.  You see, everything depends upon your personal point of view.

It's true though, some times I feel about 102 while other times I still feel about 7.  My heart is young.  My body on the other hand needs considerably more attention to keep it happy and functioning than even five year's ago.  So, there you have it.

How are you doing?  What age are you?  Is your body crying for attention?  If it is, I recommend you pay attention.  I know that often we are the last ones to get loving attention; there is usually a long list of people ahead of us, especially if we are caregivers ourselves.  But you know what?  Here is my take on that,  as a caregiver how are you supposed to know how to take care of anyone else if you are clueless about taking care of yourself?

I hope that you spend some time taking care of yourself today.

Day 362 August 1, 2011

Did I remember to mention that my daughter is getting married next month?  Yes, it is an exciting time for our family.  This season we are actually talking about wedding fever.  There are five weddings taking place between June 2011 and March 2012 in my family.  Phew!  My daughter's is wedding number 4, but as you can well imagine, her wedding looms very large in my life.

One of the fun parts of weddings is figuring out what to wear on the big day.  Thanks to lots of feedback from my fashion consultants [my daughters], I've bought a great medium blue dress and the colour of these tulips I've posted is the colour range of the Korean red coral jewelry that I plan on wearing to my daughter's wedding.  If it's chilly I'll bring a similarly coloured pashmini shawl as a warm up wrap.  I have reddish coloured sandals too.  I haven't spent so much effort on my wardrobe in many years.  It's really an exercise in artistic sensibility, to choose an outfit for an important occasion.

What is the statement you want to make with your choice of clothing?  My rules for any clothing are: 1. it must be comfortable, 2. in colours I adore, 3. and suitable for the event.  If the clothing passes all three rules I know it is destined to find a place in my little closet.  How do you chose your clothing?  Current or not? Classic? Do you forget comfort? What are your favourite colours for clothing?  Do you watch Project Runway to enjoy looking over the shoulders of clothing designers?