BACK BURNER DREAMS...

To Put on the Back Burner: put aside for the time being, as a subject that is not of immediate concern but that may be activated later; postponed; a condition of low priority or temporary deferment

 "JOY" Mixed Media Statement Necklace

It is with a heavy heart that I bid you, my dear blog friends, a temporary good bye.  I have put this post off for far too long in the hopes that circumstances would change and allow me to actively participate in the amazing creative community that has given me so much support and confidence to pursue some of my most cherished dreams.  For now, those dreams have been pushed to the back burner of life where they can continue to simmer until it is time to pull them forward and bring them to a full bodied boil where their exquisite aroma can be savored and shared once again.

"HOPE" Mixed Media Statement Necklace

My mother's condition is steadily declining and I am needed to participate more fully in her care plans.  My daughters extended maternity leave is over and she has returned to work leaving her precious little one in my care full time.  Between parenting for my parent, co-parenting with my daughter and her husband while they work, maintaining home and family obligations my days rush by at a dizzy pace.  I currently can't find the energy or time to be in studio or at my writing desk.

"WISH" Mixed Media Wrap Bracelet

I expect as I get adapted to these sudden changes in life and find a new rhythm and order to my days that I will be able to pick up where I left off and return here refreshed and rejuvenated with a new creative energy.  Maintaining an online presence is of very low priority at the moment so I have decided to take an extended break until after the first of the New Year.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your love and support.

Many Blessings,

Sandy  

The photos in this post are of the last three pieces to emerge from my studio, I wish you all hope and joy!

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RESILIENCE...

While many of you have decking your halls and shopping at malls I have been pondering the thought of resilience.  I sit here beside a half decorated tree in a house adorned with a bit of outdoor garland and somehow this year it seems enough. Due to circumstances beyond my control I have been pushed beyond my physical and emotional limits in recent weeks.  I am awed by the design of the human mind, body, emotions, and spirit and its resilience. 

The fact that after deformation that any of these can return to their original shape after being pushed to or beyond their limit amazes me.   I found myself bone tired and weary at each days end last week and yet during the night my body regenerated itself and the next day I was able to carry on with resilience, buoyant from the act of sleep.

Heart wrenching circumstances sent me into a flurry of worry that churned up my thoughts and emotions and yet after a time of meditation and prayer a quiet calm reigned over both, resilience, buoyant from the act of acceptance and surrender, peace and calm restored.

My flagging spirit felt crushed under the weight of the responsibility that was thrust upon me so suddenly making this the most challenging holiday season I have ever known and strange as it seems it might be the best one I might ever remember in years to come, resilience, buoyant from the act of rising to meet an unexpected challenge.

Tears, fears, laughter, and thanks have filled my heart and head this holiday season, tacked on is a silent prayer of gratitude.  In the kitchen a candle burns and a kettle simmers.  Sweet spice scents of cinnamon and cloves linger in the air along with the rich aroma of resilience.  I dart a glance around at my minimalist Christmas decor and think of everyone so wrapped up in the holiday hubbub, stretching themselves and their purse strings to the limit and beyond, and whisper another kind of prayer of resilience for them...one where joys fills hearts, happiness reigns in emotion, peace fills the mind, and uplift is the posture of the spirit.  May this be the most memorable, blessed holiday season for you all!

P.S.  Due to unforeseen circumstances I will be on an extended blog break until after the first of the year.  May your Christmas be filled with all that is merry and bright and your New Year be filled with delight! 

PRECIOUS MOMENTS...

My nest is empty of new things right now and I don't feel like I have much to share...

 It has been a long and winding road to get from there to here with my mother's diagnosis...

 The news is forlorn...

 Our tears have collected like raindrops on razor blades of grass...

 Our emotions are all a tangle...

 Our hearts are bruised from this journey...

 If we could wish one hundred wishes...

 We would wish that the beauty of this one life, or any life, were not blurred by the sadness of this sickness that has no cure...

 That its intricate beauty not be marred...

 By the spilling away of ones memories that are lost in a flow of confusion...

 We are sheltering ourselves in the cleft of The Rock...

 Where His overshadowing mercy and grace are a fragrant balm to our souls...

 My mother does indeed have Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia in addition to other health issues.  Our "if's" have now turned to "when's" and I can't quite get used to that.  The progression of late has been quite rapid and we have much to think on and much to plan for in the days ahead.  This Mother's Day will be bittersweet, we will savor the moment when she can remember knowing in a short span of time, literally minutes or hours later, it will be forgotten.  This disease gives a whole new meaning to living in the moment.

I will be taking a blog break over the next week and I hope to return to here refreshed and renewed with something far brighter to share.   Until then I pray dear friends that each of your moments will be lived to the fullest and that you will be wholly present in each one for they are indeed precious. 

Have a blessed Mother's Day!

   

BASKING IN THE AFTER GLOW...

 We are basking in the after glow of Christmas here at the Quill.  

A lone bright star is still shining in the East...

  The shepherds are still abiding in the field watching over the flocks...

The babe is still laying in the manger...

 The Wise Men are still worshiping...

 And we are still rejoicing...

 Baubles still hang upon the tree branches...

 Reflecting the glow that still resides in our hearts...

 The table top tree forests...

 


That greeted our Christmas Guests...

 Are the only things altered from our holiday celebration...

 

 
 
 Our hearts and our hands remain open...

 Ready to continue into the New Year with the Christmas Spirit of giving and receiving...

 Our hearts remain worshipful...

 

Our every blessing has tuned our hearts to sing of grace,

His streams of mercy are never ceasing,

And call for songs of loudest praise!

Yes, the Christmas Spirit still remains here at the Quill and I hope it will remain through the New Year still!

I will taking a bit of break for the rest of the week and may not post again until the New Year.

If I don't touch base with you before then I am wishing you all a very blessed, healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS...

Falling through the cracks:  to be lost or forgotten; to not be noticed or dealt with; to pass unnoticed, to be neglected or unchecked

Wow, that is a pretty accurate and unflattering definition of my life at the moment.  It feels like so many things in my life are falling through the cracks.  I am feeling very disjointed and disorganized.  I would love to lay the blame on situation or circumstance, although sometimes these out of my hands occurrences do contribute, I have to face the cold harsh facts that I am responsible for my mismanagement of time, for neglecting certain duties, refusing to deal with certain realities, or blindly letting things pile up or pass unnoticed, in an essence, I have left myself unchecked.  I have lost my vision and forgotten the path I was on.  This is a slippery slope indeed.

I woke up this morning with the pressure of an elephant on my chest, an elephant that I invited to sit there, nice!  I had the clarity and realization that I had to take action and get back on target.  That means I have to cut out anything that is not absolutely necessary to carry out my goal.  One of those things that is time consuming to me is this very near and dear blog.  One simple post can take me as much as three hours from start to finish, times that by three (the amount of posts I prefer to do per week), and you get nine hours, that my friends is an entire work day! 

So, my dear friends, for just the teeniest bit of time I am going to step away from my computer, go cold turkey, and turn my hand to the task of setting a few things back in order and then I can blissfully return to blogging without the nagging guilt.  My plan is pluck away at all those ripe old things that have been hanging around on my "to do" vine, working my way to the newest little green sprouts that have cropped up in recent days...

Until the vine is picked clean, well, maybe there will still be a ripe idea or two left to savor in the future...

I know that if I have a week or two or maybe even a few that I can get focused on what I need to accomplish and send that elephant back to the zoo where he belongs.  Although, I am thinking he likes living here since this place seems sort of like a zoo at the moment but I will soon resolve that.  Thank you for bearing with me with your readership, friendship, love, and support.  I know I have not been around in the quality, content, and consistency that we have shared in the past and for that I apologize.  This has been a really big transitional year here at the Quill with my daughter getting married (no, I have not forgotten that I have promised to share the wedding!) and my mothers health slipping.  My time and attention have been needed on the home front.

I know there are those of you who can just blog your way right through whatever situation you are in but right now I am not at a place where I can't do that.  Reality struck hard this week when I came so close to losing a beloved aunt that has been like a mother to me.  I need to get some priorities straight to make life easier, richer, and fuller here at the Quill.  I am not saying goodbye, just see you later.  How much later I cannot say but I am hoping I will reconnect with you sometime in September.