Happy New Year!

Be Kind....

What a wonderfully simple task for us all...to be kind.

My friend has begun studying reiki healing. I looked it up, on Wikipedia (where else!) so that I could talk intelligently about it with her and share her interest if not her experience.

My friend wants to learn how to treat or "heal" her dogs, who are still beautiful and so loving but have perhaps begun to feel their age. If my own beloved doggy was still with me, I would want to learn too; I would have done anything in my power to ease his final weeks. Perhaps reiki could have helped him when all my outpourings of love and grief were not enough, will never be enough.

This is an excerpt from Wiki, I am hoping it is fairly correct! If not, the thoughts still are wise and good, I am thinking.

"Usui...summarized a set of ethical principles, which later became known as Reiki  Principles Many Reiki teachers and practitioners aim to abide by these five principles, one translation of which is:

'The secret method of inviting good fortune.

The marvelous medicine for all sickness

Just for today: 

                *Do not be angry

           *Do not worry

           *Be grateful

           *Work with integrity

           *Be kind to others and to yourself.

       
Every morning and every night...
speak these words out loud in your heart.'"

I am never a believer or a follower or an acolyte---anyone who knows me at all will know this. But just as I find constant inspiration in the beach and dunes and winds and ocean, in the sunsets and full moon and starlight of each season---I am touched by these words of a long-ago Japanese healer.

I will remember the words. And try to listen.

Peace and Joy.....

                                               sunny days last forever...

Happy New Year!

Angels

Angels Too Close....

My mother believed in angels....or or so she said. She started to believe in her last years of life---a time when she was looking for something to explain her life and future. Mostly she meant here-on-earth human angels---her son who called her daily, without fail, from 2000 miles away; the person who helped her grocery shop; the guys who fixed her roof or cleaned out her garage; the best friend who visited weekly and gave her a manicure and companionship.

                             angels by other artists, from my collection

And amusingly, after my father died, my mother, in jest, told me that perhaps my dad's pet seagull Gully---Gulliver! My dad named all his wildlife friends---who sat on the garage roof waiting for Bob, was actually a harbinger of my dad's presence, still watching over her and their home.

      new glitter snow angel by folkartist & tiny antique German angel

I am not much of a believer in the supernatural...

      new glitter snow angel by folkartist

...but I enjoy making folk-art angels and collecting those made by others. Enjoy!

and yet another! I love these!

The rest of the angels are made by me, usually from driftwood and flea market treasure &/or found objects.

group of my dollys

driftwood angel

angel with driftwood Nutcracker head & antique French child's dress

Neat wooden wings & antique dress....

  Driftwood & rhinestones! Wow!

beachcombed snow-angel head, vintage treasures, handpainted Man-in the Moon.

Note the tiny ice skates!

     found objects & vintage textiles, buttons...

teeny-tiny mousie-angel, with pine & holly, in a swapshop milkglass urn, so cute

 

My angel.....

How about you? Do you believe...?

Happy Holidays!

Oh Christmas Tree

Oh Christmas Tree


The Tree is here! The Tree is up!
And it is beautiful....

For several years, for various reasons, we have not had a huge real Christmas tree. But last Friday night, on the coldest, most frigid night of the year so far---28* with 14* wind chill! This in balmy Beach world---howling wind, too---we bundled up and drove off to the firehouse to buy our Tree.

The firehouse is just down the main road---by the surfing beach, across from the elementary school and the golf course. It is manned by generous, dedicated, brave volunteers and every year they raise funds for a burn center by selling Christmas Trees. The weekend afterThanksgiving, their little yard is festooned with twinkle lights, a barrel is filled with a warming fire and the trees fill every available space.

One year we were coming home from an early hockey practice and saw the huge logger truck from Maine, arriving with the trees. Our fireman/salesman the other night told us they sell 1000 trees and 150 wreaths and 100 tiny "tabletop" trees.

                                    the Santa Tree- a German feather tree with figural Santas

We are a small community, on a little island off the coast of New York, so this is a LOT of trees. And the $60.oo is money well-spent! The trees are best quality.

                                                    a few years ago.....

And this year my tree is the most beautiful ever.

I always say that!
Thanks to our Fire Department--for being there. And for the wonderful trees.
Merry Christmas to all !