Sun Roof Serenade By Old blue eyes, Love from Bluebird

Blue Sky from Bluebird, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

I was driving on the Mass. Pike today and the traffic was terrible. I had to go to Boston, so I waited it out. The normal speed limit is 65 miles per hour, most people from here drive 75 miles per hour and some even drive faster. While I literally rolled to Boston, at 5 miles per hour I had a thought. The sky was so tempting and I didn't dare try to get off to capture the magnificent heavenly sky for fear I would never get back on to the pike. So, I opened up the sun roof, grabbed my camera, put it on the motion setting and started shooting photos of the sky. I was trying to be as discrete as possible. I kind of had my camera pointing up at the sunroof, but I kept one hand on the steering wheel and I looked straight ahead to avoid any fender bender.

Well, I did have my seat belt on and I wasn't on my cell phone...I certainly wasn't speeding. But somehow I think what I was doing was illegal. I wonder what the ticket would have been for photographing the sky.

As I looked at this heavenly sky, I was glad that there was traffic to afford me the luxury of taking it all in. Meanwhile, I could hear Frank Sinatra belt out that wonderful Blue Skies. The collage is a combination of my new blue skies above, and some old ones. I love how many different skies can be described by this lovely song.



I wasn't late for my appointment, and I had the chance to capture the sky and bring it home. Oh, well enjoy.

The music for this post couldn't be anything but old blue eyes singing Blue Skies.

Good Morning

Sketches for a journal, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Watercolor sketches in a journal are my favorite thing to do. Especially when I want to just coast into creative land and lose myself for a while. I have a collection of blank journals that would take a year to fill with sketches and favorite words. Everywhere I go, I seem to find beautiful blank journals. Leather bound, hand-made, artisitc, filled with watercolor paper and transparent cover sheets, small ones, tiny ones, and large coffee table size journals.

I am working on a birthday journal, and the possibilities are endless. Just lost in creative land for a while..listening to music, looking out my window to a lovely sunny day. The breeze catches the curtains and they seem to keep perfect rhythm with the music. So thankful for the creative muse at work today.

My mother taught me that whenever you are feeling sad...change your mind and give a gift to someone. So, today I have decided to change my mind and create something beautiful for a favorite friend. Getting lost in the good morning kind of day...me and the creative muse changing our mind.

The music for this post is called Good Morning.

Back to College

Sarah and Ashley climbing the hills of Tai Tam in Hong Kong


My daughter, Sarah is moving back to college today. I have been working on a birthday journal and trying not to remember that Sarah will not be coming through the door with her gorgeous smile every day. The music isn't playing today and it suits my mood. I guess Sonific is having a problem today, none of the music is playing on any of the blogs. I think you would say that this is art imitating life. I loved having both the girls home this summer. It reminded me of when they were little.

Sarah and Ashley are such a blessing in my life. Ashley is a junior in High School and she is growing up so fast. Ashley is so independent and is always on the go. She offered to help her sister move in today...such a lovely new relationship is forming. I am proud of them both. Once upon a time, I thought that they would fight forever...but now they have their own lives and the differences have become a blessing.

When the girls were home this summer, I could forget for a while that September would steal them again. Here it is, time for them to return to school. Sarah has to leave again, the house will be quiet and Sarah's little Cocoa will be sad. I'll miss her so much, she brightens my day. Ashley will be busy at school, and this year we will visit colleges for her too. I love it when I know that at night the girls are safe at home when I say goodnight. Hard enough to get used to when they first spend the night at some friend's house and then when they drive away in the car driving or with a friend...but now to not know when she wil be home safe and sound. So much faith is needed to be a mother.

Well enough distracting myself, I am off to pack my car, as Ned packs his and Sarah hers. This year she will have her car on campus, so she won't be needing rides from me. She is such a happy girl, and she enjoys college so much. Days like today I wish I weren't such a sentimental fool.

The song for this post is sung by Shirley Temple, the name of the song is Goodnight My Love

Fields of Gold

Fields of Gold, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

I had a dream that I was beneath this beautiful field of golden flowers. I could hear joyful laughter of those that were walking in this field. I was attempting to climb to get to the field, but I could not. I could just peek into the golden field beyond my reach and hear the joyful laughter in the distance. The Lord walked up to me and asked “Why have you lost your faith now?” When I awoke from this dream I wept, selfishly I wanted to stay in that beautiful field with the Lord. I felt sad that He had asked me that question, even in my sleep I felt ashamed that I had lost my faith after so many lessons and blessings.

I had struggled yet one more day looking around me for my answer...the key that would lead me back to faith. I put the thoughts of the dream aside and decided to distract my heavy heart with errands. As I drove by my favorite nursery I stopped to buy some cut flowers. I glanced over at the wide array of perennials and annuals and noticed the same flower that I had seen in my dream, only there had been a field of these golden flowers. I asked the lady who owns the nursery about the plant. She said that the name of the plant was Celosia. I bought one and placed it by my front door comforting my soul that it would lead me to an answer what my dream had meant.


Later I did some research on the name of the plant. I learned that the Botanical name is Celosia, the common name is Cockscomb but the religious name is Jesus Plant. When I read that my heart stood still, in my dream Jesus had been standing in a field of Celosia. I read further in my research that Celosia comes from the Greek word Kelos, meaning burned. I thought about all the Biblical references about being burned as it relates to going through a trial. I also read a description about Celosia in another article: “Great for a biblical garden, as it is named after the Prince himself, Jesus. Very easy to grow, first scatter the seeds, they sprout when it gets hot.”

The symbolism was loud and clear, the dream had caught my interest, and the prayer I had prayed was being answered. I felt comforted knowing that these signs were leading me slowly to finding my way back to faith. Then I found a poem that made me see that I had been choosing to dwell on the gloom and not on the promise:


One Day At A Time
Just for one day I will promise
To see God’s love in all things,
In the calm, the joy, and the peaceful
In the burden, the pain and the sting.

I will look to His love in the moonlight
In the wave of each swaying branch,
In each breath, in each step, in each moment
I will pause to my Lord and give thanks.

Though the turbulent waters surround me
I’ll be still as a calm peaceful lake,
For if He is in charge of this temple
Then the outcome to all will be great.

So with my new mind I’ll sing praises
And release alleluia’s sincere,
For if God and I are this temple,
Then the outcome to all will be clear.

So do not sway for a moment
When dark clouds are somber and gray,
Just look to the sunshine beyond them
And just let the Lord have His way.

Chris Zambernard


Funny, but the name of the devotional that I write is called One Day At A Time, prior to the dream I had never read this poem. I had listened to the song One Day At A Time, and have it playing on My Devotional web site, but I had never known about this poem. For the first time since I had that dream, I no longer wished that I had remained there in that garden. I knew now that we can have that dream on earth. When we look at the gloom all around us and fall beneath the fields of gold we cannot be blessed with joy. We walk through golden fields of heaven and laugh in joyful song when we have Faith in God. It is with the renewing of our mind that we build up our faith. We must keep things in perspective and focus more on the good, renewing our mind with the Word of God. As we focus on the good in our lives and remember all the times that our lives were blessed, we walk in Joy with the Lord through the golden fields. After renewing my mind in meditation and spending time in God’s Word I found my joy. I remembered how to get back to Faith, my faith returned the minute I started thanking God, I remembered to Trust that He always has a purpose for our trials. I remembered that God loves us and He only wants His best for our lives.

LILY AT THE GARDENS OF CLAUDE MONET IN GIVERNY

LILY AT GIVERNY, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Lily at Giverny

In 2006 I had been studying oil painting and I was inspired to paint this little girl in a garden. I found wonderful models of what I was looking for in an old copy of Victoria Magazine. As I began to paint the composition I noticed that it took on a life of it's own. I started noticing how much the garden was taking on characteristics of Giverny. Giverny, a place I long to visit some day. Claude Monet is my favorite painter, and I can never read enough or visit his paintings in museums or in books to satisfy my hunger to know more. When I was painting the color of the cottage, in the background I wanted to make the shutters the same color as those of Monet's house in Giverny. I wanted the green in the shutters to accent the white linen table cloth on top of the table laid for tea. I have many books on his work in my library. I decided to do some research to make the details more authentic.

I took out my books on Monet, and I was fascinated when I stumbled on a photograph in one of the books with Monet standing on the famous green bridge with a little girl named Lily. Monet did a painting of Lily, as a young woman, reading a book. I added a book to this little girl's lap, since she must have loved to read, if Monet captured that detail. My curiousity led me to study even further into the life of Monet. I started to add details to my painting to reflect the gardens of Monet. When Monet and his large family entertained at Giverny they set the garden tables outside with white linen tablecloths. They were laid on green garden tables with green garden chairs. I was so taken with the history of Lily that I named the painting after her. I changed the original white chair and table in my painting to reflect the similar green garden furniture that Monet used in his garden. I also studied photographs from books dipicting many of the female visitors and family members wearing lovely hats and beautiful white summer frocks. So, I added a hat for Lily and hung it from her chair, and tried to render her frock with a bit more frills.

Lily was the daughter of Theodore Earl Butler who spent many summers in Giverny. He was friends with Claude Monet. Theodore Butler married Monet’s stepdaughter, named Suzanne Hoschede. Their wedding was made famous by the painting called The Wedding March by Theodore Robinson. When Lily grew up she became a fashion designer for Harpers Bazaar.

As I conducted some more research, I learned that Lily had a son, named Jean-Marie Toulgouat. I read an article on the Internet and learned that he coincidently had just passed away just days earlier. He had died at the age of 78 in Giverny, in the house where he had been born. He had spent his childhood years in that house. He was a wonderful painter and had been taught to paint by Monet’s step daughter Blanche Hoschede'.

Jean-Marie Toulgouat married Claire Joyes, an art historian. Together they lectured on Monet. Claire Joyes wrote MONET AT GIVERNY in 1975 and LIFE AT GIVERNY in 1985. As I looked at the book I had been studying to complete the details in the painting, I noticed that I was using one of her books. I had both books and another book of hers called MONET'S TABLE in my library but I had never known the history behind these beautiful books.

As I finished the painting of Lily in Giverny, I became very fond of her and the history of her life. Whenever, I look at this painting now I don’t just see it as a painting of a little girl, but her connection to my favorite artist, Claude Monet. Her history of being at Giverny with Monet and the loyalty of her son and his wife to have carried on the history of Monet fascinated me...To write such beautiful books and to dedicate the time to lecture on the life of Monet is noteworthy. Jean-Marie Toulgouat was a wonderful and well known painter in his own right. I found a fun site where Claire Joyes appeared on a cooking show cooking a dish from her book MONET'S TABLE, there are even recipes for one of Monet's favorite MENUS.

So, perhaps you would like to prepare a dish from this French menu by Claire Joyes as you plan on reading more about the wonderful life of Claude Monet. As you are serenaded by With a Song In My Heart, pour a glass of red wine, preferably French, plan on reading these wonderful recipes and pretend you are sitting in Monet's yellow kitchen in the gardens of Giverny.

Menu:
Welsh Rarebit
Broiled Steak with Mustard
Stuffed Tomatoes
Bananas in Red Wine
and recommendtions for the perfect table setting, music and backdrop to reflect Monet's table.

The song for this post is With A Song In My heart

In case you are saying to yourself "where have I heard that music before?"...1952 movie of the same name starring none other than Susan Hayward. I rate this oldie a two box of kleenex movie.

Mindfulness

When Ashley was born, my mother brought Sarah to the hospital to meet her new little sister. Sarah was just two and a half at the time, and when she arrived in the hospital room she did the most remarkable thing. Without anyone saying a word to her, she lifted the blanket to see Ashley’s feet and started to wash her feet. Ned and I were still emotional from the birth experience and we could hardly keep back the tears. I saw my mother’s eyes well up with tears also. Such a beautiful gesture, such a meaningful symbol, a moment we three will never forget.

This morning as I took my bath I washed my feet with my favorite Victoria Secret foot scrub and I used my favorite foot brush. I thought about what a wonderful mindful exercise it would be to cleanse ourselves from yesterday’s hurt feelings, unforgiving thoughts, or anger. If every day as we bathe we could mindfully surrender all bad thoughts and let them wash away with the dirty tub water. As as we scrub away the dirt from our feet, to also wash away the bad feelings we might harbor from our minds. As I washed the dirt from my feet I said a prayer this morning and asked God to cleanse my mind of any wrong thinking.

I have found that doing a physical act helps remind me to be mindful. I used to write my prayer requests on paper and put them in the Bible. This symbol helped me to surrender whatever I was asking and let it go because it was placed in my Bible. I learned this exercise in Catherine Marshall’s book "The Helper". I learned even more ways to remain mindful in her book "Something More". I still find it helpful to use a visual exercise to assist me in some new discipline or mindfulness.

When Ashley was very little she used to worry about things at night. Haven’t we all? We had a huge oak tree outside her bedroom window. I would tell her to hang all of her worries on the worry tree outside. She would imagine that she was hanging one worry at a time on the tree, and smile. It was a mindful exercise that helped her learn how to control her mind. Shortly after she would finish hanging her imaginary papers filled with her worries on the tree, she would fall fast asleep.

When the girls were first entering their teen years, the house was always filled with drama. I put a large piggy bank on the kitchen counter and called it The Miracle Jar. The piggy bank was one of those jars that you had to break in order to remove your savings. The Miracle Jar sat right next to a small pad and pen. Every time the girls or one of their friends came home with some HUGE dramatic circumstance I would have them write it on a piece of paper and put it in the Miracle Jar. I used it myself to help surrender all the things I was worried about with my teen daughters. Every time I would worry about someting I had placed in the Miracle Jar I would remind myself that I already had surrendered that worry. One circumstance after another seemed to miraculously be solved. The girls became mindfully aware that they were surrendering their drama to the Lord and leaving the outcome to Him.

I will never forget the day that Sarah washed her little sister, Ashley’s feet in the hospital. The innocence of a small child is wisdom. I love it now when the girls will think of thoughtful acts of kindness towards each other. We certainly have come a long way since they fought on car trips, squabbled over borrowed toys, favorite places to sit, and had dramatic arguments in their early teen years.

I have been working on trying to be more mindful about forgiving old hurts and renewing my mind. This morning washing the dirt from my feet, I mindfully swept away any feelings and thoughts from yesterday that would have hardened my heart. I washed away hurt feelings, the list of wrongs, and my critical spirit. I tried to remember the sweetness of Sarah washing her new little sister, Ashley’s feet and mimic that child-like spirit. The smile of a child is born out of a pure mind, a trusting heart and the joy of promise. That smile looks forward not backward and is brand new every day.

The song for this post is Smile of a Child

My Friend Judy's House

My Friend Judy's House, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Out of all the homes I have visited, my friend Judy's home is the most charming. Her decorating skills are wonderful, and whether you are in her country kitchen with a real brick floor, or in her living room overlooking the deer friendly woods...you are sure to feel cozy.

Judy is forever redecorating little corners, rearranging nicnacs or adding just the right piece to accent her treasures. She recently replaced her old couch with this beautiful yellow couch, which really works so beautifully in the living room.

I only wish I lived closer by, because I miss sipping lemonade with her on her back deck. The warmth of her home welcomes all her friends and family to wonderful dinners, lovely company and a special treat of the eye candy you find everywhere you look.

Judy always teases me about how corny I am, so I couldn't resist being the ultimate corny and asking Nat King Cole to serenade Judy's lovely home. It is unforgettable, but not only because of the beauty you find there, but because my friend Judy lives there. Judy is unforgettable! Love ya Jude!

The song for this post is Unforgettable, sung by Nat King Cole

Pansy pensée

Pansy pensée, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

This little guy weathered our hot spell underneath a shady tree. The word pen'see is a French word that means to reflect. This wonderful pansy face made me reflect about how the shadows and light are equally necessary to appreciate it's beauty. I pulled one of my cherished treasures from the book shelf, called Threads Of Gold and read what my good friend Diane had written inside the jacket cover:


"June 1986

Dear Karen,

Though many of the thoughts recorded here are flowery they are the thoughts that get us through our trial. We are here for a reason. We cannot keep asking what it is nor can we guess at His purpose. Surrender and we'll find that we have done His will. It will be clear when it is done.

As all you do in love, accept all in love. Even the evil will not touch you, if you have faith and love. Be not afraid.

Love, Diane"

Little did she know when she wrote this and gave me this wonderful little treasure filled with God's wisdom in beautiful poetry, that I would be comforted by her words countless times over the years.

When I opened up the book, I read this poem:

NOW OR NEVER

"Don't wait with longing for the day,
When better times might come your way.
Discard the fears that may depress,
Live now and garner happiness.

It's such a waste to dwell on gloom,
Though you have problems, find the room,
For loving when the path is rough;
For laughter when the going's tough.

To fully live means you must face,
Whatever comes with humble grace.
And if you mourne, turn it to praise,
How much to do, how few the days!"

Amy C. Ellis

Thank you Diane, your gift warms my heart to this day. You have no idea how much you continue to touch my life. Love, Karen

The music for this post Smile With Me

Pencils, Pens, & Sketchbooks

Pencils, Pens, & Sketchbooks, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Well I did afterall got lost up in a tornado...a tornado of marriage, babies, moving country, little children, moving country, the serious world of art, moving country, teenagers and oh my....where did Karen go?

She has happily landed in blogland and I am following the yellow brick road back to where I began. All these lovely artists have surely inspired me. I have visited their sketching blogs and have been reminded where I began. With pencil, pen and sketchbook in a land within my imagination...where everything was possible, even a horse of a different color.

Better than the land of Oz, in blogland there are beautiful creative muses who create wonder with blogs, podcasts and photos. I never knew that there were so many kindred spirits doodling and drawing out there.

I fell from the sky and I fell very far...back to where I began, with pencils, pens & sketchbooks and an awful lot of space to grow in...and even though I have red ruby slippers, I won't click them at all. I would rather stay in blogland for a while with my pencils, pens and sketchbooks.




The song for this post is of course the music from The Wizard of Oz Munchkinland