Yep! That’s where it feels like I’m standing. And that’s a picture of what it felt like a couple hours ago!
For now, a bit of musing… sitting with my feet up, hoping the power doesn’t go out!
Sunday’s book launch was huge fun! Monday’s doc’s appointment… let’s call it progress. Tuesday – moving. (Joints and muscles!) And, today, hearth tending in the Red Thread Cafe Classroom!
I love hearth tending. It’s a lot like summer camp but without poison ivy and water moccasins! On this day, though, I seem to be channeling the suspended bridge over the Santa Fe River in Florida’s O’Leno State Park.
Exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. And, according to the elves in my cell phone, closed today because of Hurricane Helene. It kind of sounds like my back yard should be closed today, too, as the early bands of Helene make their way north and it’s full dusk at 3:30pm!
Here’s the “betwixt and between” bit…
A Creation Poem… exists. There are copies upon copies headed here – which is another storm concern! I’m waiting to hear whether I’ll have an exhibitor’s booth at the Decatur Book Festival, on October 5. Not a whole lot of time to plan for something I’m not even sure I need to be ready for!
Just between us… I’m really hoping it works!
For today, though… Medicine Painting. (Which sounds like way more fun than homework!)
There are many notions of how Medicine Painting works and even more about what it looks like.
And, here’s the thing… you don’t really know until you do it! A notion that makes some of us anxious… or, used to!!!
Here’s my favorite part – instead of deciding what to put on the canvas, I get to sit with the canvas and discover what I see as it comes forth! It’s a lot like claiming that I do, indeed, have influence, while choosing to set aside control. Here’s what’s happened since this morning…
It’s been a long road! And the first step was setting aside the notion I learned early on that I was not the artistic kid. Which was a whole lot like realizing that Mom was right about a lot of things, but that wasn’t one of them!
The world feels a lot like that in this moment! And all I know to do is to show up being the me I am now.
So… I told the guy named Steve that I wanted a booth at the book festival if it works out. And then I asked what I needed to know! His advice had a lot to do with where to park and having as many ways as possible for people to pay for books. And art. And then he said the coolest thing…
Give people a way to engage!
You guessed it… dots!!!
So, non-toxic, washable dot markers. They’re round, like finger tips!!! Because if you’re going to write a book about including kids, you need a way to INCLUDE them! Probably a few extra paint shirts, too. And baby wipes.
And, if this whole thing actually happens, I’m going to have two choices about where to make the dots. On a spare round canvas which makes a great home for a peace sign. And, as the next layer of the medicine painting I’m deep in today!
Because more people making dots for Peace and Hope gets the world that much closer to – well – Peace and Hope. To believing that WE can do something to create and claim what matters!
And, you know what???
Even if this book festival doesn’t work this time, I’m already clearer on my Promise. And I’ll have two more books done for next year! (Really!!!)
Here’s the cover for the next one…
ps… just in case you have something you’re longing to manifest in the world, there’s still time – but not much! – to check out Shiloh Sophia’s new, year-long painting adventure called Abracadabra! (I’m so excited!!!) Just click here for all the info…