Fever

Sagittarius Horoscopes
(Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Next Week
For the Week of Sep 1st, 2008 -- Lay low on Friday night to save your energy for the fun to come. The Moon enters your sign on Saturday to bring you up to a fever pitch of feeling that can make for a memorable weekend. You may go too far in what you say and do, but that's much more your style than shutting up and playing it safe

Hoo boy! You'd think I'd tone it down by now, but what's a gal to do when she's up to a fever pitch of feeling. In fact, Fever, sung by Peggy Lee, is a great song. There seems to be a certain fever in the air. Strange phone calls abound. As I stumbled toward the coffee pot yesterday morning, my phone rang. Now, I am notoriously incoherent in the AM. My friends usually take that into consideration.

"Hello....are you all right?"

"Oh, I knew you'd be up, you get up early. My bathroom is full of bees!"

"Bees?" I warned you I was sharp in the early hours.

"They're in the wall. They made a hole. They're coming out!!!!"

"Well, you closed the door, right"

"Yes, you ninny, the door is closed. What's that noise? What are you doing?"

"Oh, that's my coffee brewing, it sputters."

"I'm waiting for the exterminator to return my call."

"Uh, OK, call me and let me know how it goes."

"I will, omg, I can hear them buzzing. I'm going downstairs."

As I poured the coffee down my throat I'm thinking that's a good plan, but I can't say much.

"Um, good. I'll talk to you soon. Good luck." Click.

The bee problem was successfully resolved. Mr. Exterminator reported a hive of seven thousand bees. Is that possible? He said he had quite a few bee 'situations' Saturday.

Could it be the new moon?

Next phone call was from my aunt.

"Your mother was supposed to meet me for lunch and she's not here. Ruthie said she dropped her off at the house an hour ago. Find her!"

Uh, no. My GPS does not cover that yet. Sorry.

Mom showed up right after the phone call with a pizza. Surprise!

Next five phone calls from frantic daughter having her own version of the Amityville Horror up in Cape Cod. She will survive, having learned a valuable life lesson and maybe write a screenplay.

I'm heading for the movies with the bee-lady. We're checking out Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen's new flick. With that title I had to go. Besides, I like Woody Allen's movies.

I remember seeing Bananas and Take the Money and Run as a double feature. My side ached and my mascara ran down my cheeks. It's so good to laugh like that. I just heard this is Astroland's last season. Coney Island will be unrecognizable to me, but, then a lot of things are.

It must be the fever, maybe it's bee fever.

I know I have had this before, but really....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyV2cPLuFuA&feature=related



Addendum:
Bees, seven hundred, not thousand, whew!
Bee-lady bought Greek cowbells from elderly woman. "They sound so pretty." Yeah! I couldn't make this stuff up, really.
Text message during movie, daughter having coyote problem (could be worse, good material)
Movie, I am ready to fly to Barcelona manana. So close to home, loved it, still smiling. Ah, dysfuctional relationships; are there any other kind?
Fever in the morning, fever all through the night....thank you Peggy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYxoAJ3Boyc


Helix nebula ~ spaceweather.com verrrry cool!

The Disappeared

Today is International Day of the Disappeared Day

Men, women and children were taken from their homes, many tortured and murdered, never to be seen again.
We should, of course, remember them every day as their grieving families do.
They have been 'disappeared', intentionally taken away and never returned. No official record of their fate available to their loved ones, they have just disappeared from the face of the earth.
I cannot imagine the agony of the families still waiting. My heart goes out to them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_the_Disappeared

http://www.desaparecidos.org/arg/eng.html

Please be aware and remember them. Terrorism continues throughout the world. This still happens today.

Something In The Wind

Sagittarius Horoscopes
(Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Next Week
For the Week of Aug 25th, 2008 -- You're a traveler, Sagittarius, and the Moon in your 9th House of Voyages this weekend can fly your heart to a happier place. In spite of the doubters nearby, a little trip or cultural activity that takes you outside your neighborhood not only makes you feel much happier, but can lead to a loving connection.



Oh, I have been aching to travel lately. Maybe a day-trip this coming weekend, but my travel will have to be in the imaginary realm until Dia de los Muertos. Change is in the air. Restless dreams and serendipitous events are occurring with greater frequency. Well, it is good for the muse. I have some exciting projects in the works and a deadline to meet. Deadlines are good.

A cool breeze is rustling the curtains, very refreshing for an August afternoon. I have the distinct feeling I am not walking this restless path alone. It's a winding path with stones and ruts in some places, smooth and even in other stretches. Of course it has it's hills and valleys, but how boring a journey would be with no challenge or effort. Some travelers I meet along the way share a cheerful tale or, perhaps, a sorrowful confession. Their energy gives me added strength to push up a hill or navigate a rocky stretch of road. Occasionally someone will block my way, crying out false pleas for aid or seductively championing the delights of rest and relaxation. My hand extends to help you back on your feet, but as the road forks you must walk your own path. As for rest and relaxation, I will have time for that at the journey's end. The joy of travel is the entire journey, not just arriving at your destination.

Summer is coming to an end. Today I can smell autumn in the gentle wind. Seasons change. People don't really change, but they can grow and become rich in ways that defy explanation. That is a blessed life. Right now I don't know where I goin' but I'm goin'. Yes!

your true heart's journey

meanders for your lifetime

fall down, stand up, live



i carry your heart Fat Book~xoxo mechanical cat, nicci & me (haiku, too :)

Pearls for Swine

St. Francis And The Sow


The bud

stands for all things,

even those things that don't flower,

for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;

though sometimes it is necessary

to reteach a thing its loveliness,

to put a hand on its brow

of the flower

and retell it in words and in touch

it is lovely

until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;

as St. Francis

put his hand on the creased forehead

of the sow,and told her in words and in touch

blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow

began remembering all down her thick length,

from the earthen snout all the way

through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of the tail,

from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine

down through the great broken heart

to the blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering

from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking

and blowing beneath them:

the long, perfect loveliness of sow.




—Galway Kinnell



The first time I read this poem it touched a tender place in my heart. I found it in a literally small book of poetry appropriately titled ten poems to open your heart by Roger Housden. It's a wonderful collection and certainly is true to it's name. I tucked it into my bag and carried it with me for weeks. To my delight, St. Francis and The Sow appeared on the Perceval Press site, reminding me what beauty really means.

Growing up, we always had a statue of St. Francis in our garden. Cardinals would sit and call from his extended arm. Squirrels scurried around the base, up to his smooth head and into the nearby apple tree. In my child's mind, I thought he must enjoy their company. Now, full circle, St. Francis stops by in a heartfelt poem to connect soul to nature. Cool.







St. Francis and the Sow ~ pen & ink, Sharpies (can't help myself :)

Long Time Prayer

Prayers for the souls who perished in Spain today and for their grieving loved ones.

Totally grateful for living a long time alone, precious, fragile life.

Here's almost all of my sketch for the first verse (scanner bed is small, heh )

I'd be lost without my Sharpies.

What I love most about this poem is the reverence and irreverence for life it conveys.

It's especially poignant today.

May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

Long Time Alone

Sagittarius Horoscopes
(Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Next Week
For the Week of Aug 18th, 2008 -- You may have to slow down to have a good time this weekend. Try to appreciate life's small pleasures instead of rockin' and rollin' at high volume. It's especially important not to rush someone or push too hard because all you're likely to get back is resistance and resentment that can kill your chances for fun

General Weekly Love Horoscope
Passionate Mars entering sociable Libra facilitates harmony in ongoing relationships and makes it easier to start new ones. There's a natural graciousness, willingness to share, and capacity to compromise that's an invitation to open hearts and minds. Being kind is a more direct path to meeting someone than being bold this week.

OK, I can be kind. A Libran influence is a very good omen indeed. Natural graciousness, willingness to share, but that capacity to compromise is somewhat tricky for Sagittarians.

Yes, I am very capable of compromise, it just takes me a minute or two. Yes, I am likely to push too hard and ruffle sweet Libra's feathers, but I'm a good egg at heart. My intent is not to hurt your feelings. I know I can be blunt, so I'll keep my rock 'n' rollin' to a lower decibel level and I will slow down just a little. Libras are so worth the compromise.

Wonderful poem by Galway Kinnell, When One Has Lived A Long Time Alone, inspired a cool project~create some art for each of the eleven verses. Never one to start at the beginning of anything, I did a quick sketch for the last verse. More than likely I will jump around, but I truly love this poem so it will be an ongoing creation. Who knows, maybe some of that natural graciousness will rub off on me? See, I'm appreciating life's smaller pleasures already. Nothing like beautiful poetry to open your heart and mind.

restless

west wind swirls through town

bringing restless thoughts to mind

let's dance until dawn

Thanks to Perceval Press for inspiration

Very rough sketch for verse 11 ~ vt

haiku, yeah, can you tell :)

Pink Artists

http://girl-gone-thread-wild.blogspot.com/2008/05/pink-artist-drawing-august-1-october-15.html

This is a wonderful way to continue the fight against breast cancer. Check it out. Every artist makes a difference in this world.

Don't Tread On Me

General Weekly Love Horoscope
Get serious during the week to set the stage for play on the weekend. Venus, the love planet, joins no-nonsense Saturn on Wednesday, which can take the air out of romantic balloons. Be straightforward, but kind, to build trust within a relationship. On Saturday, Venus cuddles with generous Jupiter, spurring a spirit of joy and adventure that opens minds and warms hearts.

Sagittarius Horoscopes
(Nov 22 - Dec 21)

Next Week
For the Week of Aug 11th, 2008 -- You might feel that you are being picked on or under appreciated. Listen to what a trusted person has to say this weekend, but don't accept scolding from anyone. Helpful advice is fine, but unrelenting criticism can be damaging to your self-esteem. Seek the company of a non-judgmental person to get a break.

Everyone needs a break once in a while. I'm listening to The Chieftan's Long Black Veil, one of my favorite CD's. My home is filled with roses of every hue~pink, lavender, peach and red.

Every room has the sight and scent of rose. My sweet guzu sent watermelon Kit Kats all the way from Japan (big thank you, Andrea!) along with a treasure trove of red goodies. The tiny red origami crane is divine. The Art for Peace ATC's are on their journey to become magnetized.

Strange, but there has been a hell of a lot of unrelenting criticism this week and it's only Tuesday. The roses and Japanese Kit Kats help soothe and comfort, but I think my self-esteem is just fine. What is it with the cranky pants? The only thing I'm cranking out is some fun haiku over at Nervousness and another version of the battle scene for my beloved vampires.

Just can't decide which version I want to use. Not a bad dilemma at all.

Here's a couple of haiku. As you can tell, I couldn't decide which one I wanted to use, heh.

wheat

soft wheat colored grass

crunches beneath my bare feet

gray rainclouds gather

gray rainclouds gather

their promise stays unfulfilled

no tears nor rain fall

Art For Peace ATC's ~ vt Sharpies, ummm fumes :)

Dante Shrugged

Sagittarius Horoscopes
(Nov 22 - Dec 21)

Next Week
For the Week of Aug 4th, 2008 -- Your easygoing nature and tendency to speak freely could be a disadvantage this weekend. Edgy individuals may not have a sense of humor and will take what you say too seriously. A more low-key social life might not be your idea of a perfect time, but could be a key to creating the intimacy you desire.

Some edgy individuals I know have a wonderful sense of humor. It must be the leftover influence of that pesky eclipse. Many have been wearing their cranky pants this weekend.

As I was unsuccessful in avoiding drama I decided the best thing to do would be to keep things low key. I polished my swords, grabbed a Highlander movie and a beverage and settled down for a relaxing evening of mayhem. I've been reading The Dark Side by Jane Mayer and my blood was running cold, my blood pressure high. Nothing like Duncan McLeod and company for a lovely distraction.

It didn't work. My thoughts returned to The Dark Side and a Bill Moyers' interview of Jane Mayer where they discussed sanctioned torture under the Bush administration. A while ago I collaborated on an art project using Dante's Inferno as our inspiration. Just wondering what level of hell Messrs. Bush and Cheney and their collaborators would occupy? They may deserve their own section. My personal feeling is that we create our own heaven and/or hell right here on earth.

Maybe they see it that way, too.

Dante's Inferno Comic NM ~ love 'em!

Prayer Can Get A Bad Rap

Prayer is a vital part of all religions, therefore, some may discount it as mindless ritual. Some find solace in prayer. Others find strength in prayer. I am a believer in the power of prayer because it is a form of energy sent back to the Universe/God/Source. When people unite in prayer, whatever form it takes for them, it becomes a powerful force indeed. What better reason for prayer than World Peace? What have you got to lose? Think of what the world might gain if we all spent a few minutes focusing on the positive aspect of peace rather than all the negatives we are bombarded with on a daily basis. You don't have to be an expert on string theory to feel those good vibrations.

World Peace Prayer Society,

from Hiroshima, Aug 5

Global Link Teleconference
LIVE FROM HIROSHIMA
followed by The World Peace Prayer Ceremony
to INVOKE PEACE in each and every country on Earth
ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE

Tuesday, August 5th, at 7pm EST (USA)

Wednesday, August 6th, at 8am (Japan Time)

May Peace Prevail On Earth

JOIN US, Live, and Free!!

Hosted by Fumi Johns Stewart, Executive Director of
The World Peace Prayer Society
in collaboration with the All One Now Network

Login HERE for the live webcast
Look HERE for information to join the teleconference For International Time and Date conversion, click here.

Peace Mandala ~ vt ~ inspired by pattymae :)