Poetic feet selfie 4 ~~> For This Thanks a poem by Sam Abrams

 

Day four. Searching the words at my feet brought me a title. The entire poem had been read that day in Rochester.

 

For This Thanks **This poem are carved into a granite band.**

heaven on our earth
hopscotch chalked on the sidewalk
dance! dear goddess hop! skip!

By Sam Abrams

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Dianne Reeves, Jo Stafford, andTed Rosenthal for day twelve

I love Holiday music and as I put this post together, I am for the last time listening to our rather eclectic collection till the day after Thanksgiving 2014. I start slow. This year I started with a mix that was only 20% Christmas with the rest being random jazz tunes from our collection.

But this is it. Next year the following artists will be part of the larger mix, having bought their Christmas CD's after I set my iPod up for the season. I could not find a tune from the holiday collection by the Ted Rosenthal, so I went for a tune for my students, the poor buggers will be rising in what will truly seem like the wee small hours of the morning tomorrow. As an aware teacher, who may be a bit groggy himself (and coming down with a cold), I will be kind to them tomorrow and let them get acclimated to being students once again.

So here it is the final shout outs ~> 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Dahlias for day eleven

Searching Dahlia at my Flickr page brought forth many a photo, this is a sampling.

 

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs:The Buddha in The Garden of Nutmeg Designs for day ten

This morning, the sun came out. Mosaic Woman looked out her studio window and called for me to check out our Buddha. Eventually I got out for a photo; it was not for the first time. Years ago I cleaned up a section of the garden and celebrated that moment in time. Those azaleas failed to thrive.

Now a lilac and a butterfly bush are having there moments in that space. The roses are still here. This summer when I began to call our rather small estate, the garden of Nutmeg Designs, I caught the Buddha in this moment in time.

No Nutmeg Designs did not exist when we moved here, but we did finally break down and buy a home in order for Margaret to have the space to become Mosaic Woman. I also desired a space to create my own garden and have a studio of my own. As new home owners we went off and bought ourselves an unfinished concrete Buddha, and Mosaic Woman spruced it up. Our Buddha has seen many a moment.

Last night inside our house I was unsettled. Snow does that to me, possibly more than anything outside of health scares. Outside snow was settling on the Buddha, inside I needed to be OK with uncertainty.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Frederick Buechner for day nine

The conversation this past Sunday began like this...

Me ~> peace

Lay preacher friend ~> what would we do without Buechner? How would I ever end a sermon without him.

My friend knows I dig Buechner. She has been to many an adult discussion led by me in which the man was quoted. I don't like being asked what my favorite this or that is because I tend to have many a favorite and don't enjoy ranking things much. With that said, Buechner is near the top. I have read his theology, his sermons, his autobiographies, and his novels.

So here are some things I have learned from all of that. Tell your story if you hope to heal. Find what brings you joy and if it matches a need of this world, you have discovered your vocation. You and I are peculiar treasures loved by a God that will search us out no matter where we go to hide.

When I went missing for a decade or two, I fled a religion that I wanted nothing to do with. When I returned, Buechner and the man who recommended him, showed me a different side of that religion. And for that I am grateful.

What would we do without him?

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: The Resolved for day eight

I am a social introvert. Thus I will go out of my way to have conversations. I will roam about my school's campus visiting people. I will meet people for coffee. I will invite people over for pizza. I will vacation where friends live. I will drive halfway to see you and watch a river flow as we talk. I will linger in a town after a conference to see you. I will let you know if I will be driving by your area and meet you for lunch. If you come to my area and have the time to see me, I will do my best to see you. And I already gave a shout out for those who do this.

I am an introvert, so if you want to see me, don't invite me to a big party. I shy away from large gatherings, but I will be delighted to have a simple dinner at your house.

So I can make a resolution to have plenty of these conversations, but I can only imagine them happening, if you resolve to have a conversation with me.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Paula Lewis for day seven

You are looking at what happens when you commission Paula Lewis to create a piece of art for you. I gave her some gerneral guidelines, then sat back and waited. I told her i was in no rush so she let my desires percoloate. Apparently Paula faces some danger as an enamalist, which is why she goes by Scorched Eyebrow Studio.

I do believe I only met Paula once and that was at a craft show. I stood in her booth amazed at her artistry and a seed was planted for the commission that was to become a part of my studio.

By commissioning others I am exposing myself to how others feel when I am commissioned. I also end up with a studio being filled with art by favored artists. I hope to keep this habit going. It's fun. But also a bit nerve racking as you don't know what it is you will be getting. But if others can trust me, I can trust others.

So while I am at it, let me celebrate the Jazz Tree I commissioned earlier in the year.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Patricia Barber for day six

 

So whose website do I check more often than any other, in hope of seeing them live? Jazz composer, singer, pianist, and lyricist... and arranger ~> Patricia Barber. I hope that says it all, so here is an original, a Gershwin, and a Lennon/McCartney for your enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: The Neighbors of Surprises for day five

It was a terrible night. Screams woke us. Flames across the street scared us. Seeing someone jump from a house horrified us.

After that comes the gratitude that no one died and an even greater respect for those who put out fires. After that we got to know the five households quite a bit better as we greeted them when they returned to see the damage and when they returned to once again live across from our two studio row.

Three Christmas past, I lied for the man who survived that jump. I told his wife that we would not be able to get their house number done in time for the 25th. Side note ~> This year I once again lied to a friend when I told her the piece she wanted had sold, but left out that her husband had bought it.

Two Christmas past, this time the wife surprised the husband with a mosaic celebrating chili peppers.

So, when they came to our home show and commissioned a cross and a nightlight, I decided it was my year to surprise them on Christmas Day. The commissions sight unseen, plus a small bonus gift, were placed in a box and gift wrapped. It amused me that for the third straight year a surprise gift was being open, maybe not as much as amusing as the surprise created by telling fibs, and surely not as joyful as when they moved back, but it did amuse me.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Breakfast Buddies for day four

On the third day of Christmas, I mentioned the tradition of buying Mosaic Woman a young adult novel every year. Here is another tradition. Years ago, she bought me a waffle iron for Christmas. I have never operated the gadget. In our two studio row, I am the pancake dude.

So now I am treated to waffles every Christmas morn, not for all twelve days, but consistently on day one. Mosaic Woman and I have eaten breakfast out in many a location over the years and for that I am grateful. But I have a few friends who have breakfasted with me more than once.

In Oregon it was the friend who I met when she was assigned the challenge of supervising my student teaching. This morning it was an Episcopalian priest, who I met when I searched for a spiritual director to guide me through the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius. I also meet a young man, who has decided that I am the Uncle Wayne he never had.

So, I give thanks to those who are willing to begin their days with me and share their first meal of the day.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Sharon Creech for day three

Here in our one bedroom two studio row, a tradition has come about; every year I buy Mosaic Woman a young adult novel for Christmas. I just squeaked it out this year as I bought her present during the final moments of the Scholastic Book Fair at my school.

And here we are on the third day of Christmas, and we have both finished the book. In fact Mosaic Woman had it read by the time I got home from the Christmas morning Eucharist.

I am no expert on the genre, I just wait for a book to catch my attention. And the cat did that. Sharon Creech's book does feature a rather hard to like cat and a boy who is missing his dog. But through a wise teacher, fine parents, and poetry, especially that of William Carlos Williams, the boy does come about to the understanding that not all cats are worthy of hatred.

I am also seeing uses in my classroom...

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow (electron, DNA molecule, gravity, mass, predator, root, seed ...)

 

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: Joanne Romano for day two

I have had some great conversations in 2013, and maybe some others will pop up during this Christmas shout out series. This morning as I created this Stratozpheric glass doodle for my friend Joanne, my mind went back to the day that she bantered with my snarky attitude (she did quite well) as she attempted to get me to buy tickets to a fundraiser my church was having. It was fun, the conversation that is because I never did make it to the breakfast. People who went said it was a hoot.

I love Joanne's voice and I am grateful that through it all she has remained a member of the band that creates music at my church here in Lansdale. Billions and billions of singers and instrumentalists have been in the band with her over the years. A flow chart may be in order.

After our home show, Joanne's name was pulled and I had the privilege of creating a sun catcher just for her. So here is to hoping she doesn't take his Sunday off.

 

21 pieces towards redemption ~> or I seem to be better at imagining gifts than giving them

One ~> Mosaic Woman finds a card I addressed in August. The friend was the 21st person to make a donation to my campaign to feed the hungry. I remember offering something to whoever was the 21st. What was it? Last night I chose scraps of glass, 21 pieces of redemption. I am imagining something new. An improvisation. A gift to a friend, who has been very patient.

Two ~> in my studio window hangs a mandala. Was it not supposed to go to Cleveland with me as a gift to friends who gave me a room with quite the view.

Three ~> a baseball card sits in my closet. Had I not planned to send it to a friend, who not only commissions stained glass, but also sends me amazing photos of them in their new home.

Four ~> a card rests on my drafting table. It is for a friend, who has shown me that she truly believes my cards are drawn with hope for healing by one commission after another. My friend has been in my prayers, and yes the card is a daily reminder to pray for her, but it is time to mail it.

Time to make the gifts become a reality.

 

No News Commutes is about being on the road with James Keelaghan

Been wearing out a James Keelaghan CD lately as I continue with no news during Lent. I will likely switch it out tomorrow. This song reminded me that I am thankful for a relative short commute and a job that does not take me away from home, away from love.
Musicians are a brave lot. They take a chance to survive doing what they love to do, but in the process find themselves far from their home, their love. Next time a favored musician rolls into my area, may I be ever grateful for the sacrifice being made.

celebrating those who celebrate us: #1

collaboration mosaic by Margaret Almon, Suzanne Halstead, and Wayne Stratz

In this month of three craft shows (North Penn being this coming Saturday), I chose to be immersed in a class on the art of being an effective physics teacher and Margaret is immersed in a class on learning the code needed to create an artful website.  The launching of the website is approaching, for now I would like to celebrate some who have written testimonials, which will float in and out of the new website:

So far, I've had two occasions to buy gifts from Nutmeg Designs. The recipients 

of these gifts were delighted, I was happy with the reasonable shipping 

rates and fast turnaround, and it felt really good to give beautiful, lovingly 

hand-crafted works that I was able to buy directly from the artists.

 Andrea Wolper, jazz singer  

Andrea's take on tunes has left me hopeful that talented musicians will continue to move out in new directions.  She is on my list of people I want to see in concert and I can imagine one day creating a design inspired by her music.

           I have commissioned two pieces from Nutmeg designs, both gifts to gooverseas.  

Each was uniquely suited to the recipient, and carefullypacked to travel

 -- and beautiful!  

Michelle Francl, Quantum Chemist/ Theologist  

Michelle's passion for writing about both science and God is welcomed in my unfolding life.  She is a living example of how I desire to view creation,  with the eyes of an evolutionary biologist and with the spirit of one who walks with God.

More celebrations will come.  Thanks to all who have written such wonderful words.  If inspired to write a line or two about the art/people/spirit of Nutmeg Designs, you can do that by using this form.   

Do you say Grace?

Grace in our house was never said until we starting having dinner with friends who said it silently, hands connecting us together. We liked it and have come to call it Quaker grace.

The pause before consuming is short, but Mosaic Woman and I do pause, reach out a hand to each other, then say what we need to say in silence. A squeeze of the hands marks the end.

There was no pause for saying grace when I was growing up. But that moment has become a ritual now. Just a moment to be grateful that people worked hard to grow our food and to have a hand to hold, and a God to thank.

groups keeping me centered

It is hard to be a spiritual slug when you got...

• a small but ever wonderful group of blogger friends who write about the journeys in which they have ventured and stumbled.
• three good friends (CS, SK, and CM), who every time I let my hectic life drag me away from our Monday night gatherings at church, pulled me back. and being the one who picked the topics, they kept turning to me to schedule a Monday gathering.
• four good friends who showed up once a month and shared silence and our voices at a Quaker Meeting House. I spoke last Friday about the pain of leaving a church where three members of the group have had positive experiences over the last 9 months. I imagined reconciliation. Is that the first step?
• a church down the street filled with folk who greet me so so friendly.
• a group of Rochester musicians called Margaret Explosion whose local newspaper says this... "The Margaret Explosion's music is infinite, eternally elegant, and mystical. Their esoteric wonder paints pictures in my head nonstop." - Frank DeBlase - Rochester City Newspaper.
  
  anyway there I was at the YMCA the other week, my mind racing, and this song floated into my ears. I walked laps hitting repeat, hitting repeat, hitting repeat. I walked and I fell into a good place. Click here if you have 3 minutes and 22 seconds to see what Frank and I are amazed by...

thanks...

Agamospermy--- virgin births in the realm of botany

most flowers require pollination so that fertilization can occur, so that seeds can form... Dandelion ovaries can set seed without pollen. Is this a miracle? However, knowing (please let me give plants all kinds of cognizant abilities) that diversity arises from sex, the dandelion only does this with 99% of its flowers. One percent of the flowers will not create seed without pollen.

The rule in biology is to never say "all" or "none"... too many exceptions to the rule.

Maybe it should be that way in our own lives. All this thinking I have been doing about eternal life led to a cassette leaping out at me. See I had found a box of old cassettes in my studio closet and I transfered them to a new location. And there was Bruce Cockburn's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws. Mosaic Woman, who grew up in Cockburn's native land... Canada, introduced me to this music. He is a man of faith and doubts and I give him some of the credit for bringing me back to a life that includes worship.

So there I was walking down Broad Street in Lansdale searching for cumin humming and doing a bit of wondering where the lions are... and I am thinking about how my life has unfolded, and I am feeling ecstatic. Never say never. If you made it this far with me... Happy New Years.

Sun's up, uh huh, looks okay
The world survives into another day
And I'm thinking about eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
I had another dream about lions at the door
They weren't half as frightening as they were before
But I'm thinking about eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
Walls windows trees, waves coming through
You be in me and I'll be in you
Together in eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
Up among the firs where it smells so sweet
Or down in the valley where the river used to be
I got my mind on eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
And I'm wondering where the lions are...
I'm wondering where the lions are...
Huge orange flying boat rises off a lake
Thousand-year-old petroglyphs doing a double take
Pointing a finger at eternity
I'm sitting in the middle of this ecstasy
Young men marching, helmets shining in the sun,
Polished as precise like the brain behind the gun
(Should be!) they got me thinking about eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
And I'm wondering where the lions are...
I'm wondering where the lions are...
Freighters on the nod on the surface of the bay
One of these days we're going to sail away,
going to sail into eternity
some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
And I'm wondering where the lions are...
I'm wondering where the lions are...
----------- BRUCE COCKBURN

emerging from the heat wave

It was 20 degrees above normal for 4 days starting on Saturday.

Mosaic Woman grew up in Edmonton where the average high in July is 72 degrees and humidity is no big deal. I grew up north of here on a tree covered hilltop, not quite Edmonton, but cooler.

So we melted. and I did not blog.

Monday and Tuesday we were told to keep the students inside... I may have grumbled about the weather, but then a mighty wind blew, our power went out, neighbors and candles filled porches, winds shifted to being from the north, and temps fell 10 degrees. I was gifted with two days to garden.

As I climbed the hill away from the garden with a student who helped weed and mulch a bed of leeks this afternoon, I stopped and turned around. "We did well." A wet cool May put us behind but beds of zucchini, sweet peppers, golden beets, purple carrots, leeks, red onions sweet onions, garlic, new zealand spinach, patty pan squash, basil, dill, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatillos, green beans (2 types in two beds).... await our return in July as do the flowers we planted. Tomorrow is graduation.

Tuesday night I awoke wondering what time it was... then the power came back on a bit after midnight. Thoughts consumed my head so I came down to the computer and wrote my speech which I would read to honor a horticulture student at an awards assembly. My practice of examen came to mind.

My speech started joking about how the student points out my gray hair, and ended something like this...

"As I sat writing this speech my mind drifted to the last thing I do each night. I sit and do an examen of my day. Part of that is remembering things to be grateful for in my life. I can truly say that I am grateful that ........ is in my horticulture class."

Sadly the speech was directed to one student as the rest sat in the audience. That night as I did my examen, I regretted disappointing some in the midst of honoring one.

Natus, Ingressus, Orbit, RIP

I am deciding which path to take back to the retreat center when I hear a gaggle of teens. I pause baffled by their presence and then decide I do not want to pass them and I do not want them to pass me. Seeing a stone wall that looks inviting I sit with my back to a cemetery. The teens pass, one sees me and now it is their turn to be baffled by the man with a pony tail sitting on a rock wall. They move on but soon stop by a pond. I decide to go the other way.



I have walked by this cemetery so many times, but unlike the UCC cemetery that is at the top of the hill behind the retreat center, I have never entered it. Now I do.



The dates at first shock me, but it makes sense with the reality I face here at Wernersville. There are less and less retired Jesuits eating next to us these days. 28 marked graves from 2002 till the present. Three new graves without markers.



Whenever I get here, I am told that the retired Jesuits pray for us. We who have come to retreat from everyday life. To be silent. To find God in our stilled beings. I realize that there are 28 men buried here, many or all may have prayed for me. It is time to give thanks.



Natus, Ingressus, Orbit. Three dates below their names tell their story. RIP is the hope that ends it. I am caught by seeing July 30th. A special day for mosaic woman and I. The day that separates our birthday. Three graves in a row are of Jesuits who have the same middle date on their stones. They joined the Jesuits together and now rest in peace side by side.



I move on.



In my room, on my bed, I listen to jazz as the sun sets behind a tree that has been pruned. I see myself in that tree. I am reaching for God as a plant reaches for light. But I allow things to get in the way and a branch gets caught off. Another grows.



What keeps me from feeling the joy of the resurrected Christ? fears, doubts, humanist education, stoic families...



The spiritual exercises are peaking and I am to see my life as a gift from God. A busy God full of creative juices. When light reflects off of me and that creation sees me. Do they see a creature of God? How representative am I? It depends on the moment which I am seen.



At times I find myself wishing that Jesus would show up and heal all of us. But that is not the way to travel. The way is to believe that through love and compassion we can heal those in need.



It is good to be prayed for by Jesuits, and anyone one else who has hopes of seeing me shine in light. It grows my desire to help those who too struggle with being pruned here and there.