NoTeS fRoM tHe NeSt


Tonight I will share a canvas that has been a work in progress.
16X26

With magenta, pink, and shades of blue, I prepared this canvas without any idea where it was going

until
I stood back and saw the colors together
and how the patterns played out.

From that moment I knew the text about
listening

that I used once before would need to appear again.

I had the glimmer of an idea on what else would be added.

It sat while I looked at it for months.

During my time of recovery, rest, and reflection these past few months,

I could see how this piece would evolve and I have been excited for it.

this weekend I actually picked up a brush and began the next portion
that will be applied to the canvas later

While I was doing that I was thinking about color
and the role it plays in our lives

whether we are immersed in art or....

simply living out our day to day lives.

I stared at the blue that I brought into this piece and thought about how I am reaching more and more often for BLUE.

We choose colors for our walls,
for the clothing we wear.

Certain colors make us happy it seems and others soothe us

Even as young children we pick certain crayons more often than others.

My youngest child went through a phase that I remember vividly........

Brown.

He consistently chose the brown crayon to make all his drawings.
That still makes me laugh to think on that.

Through the years, I seem to have stayed away from blue.

I never really wanted to paint a room blue, but did so for our oldest boy and then sponged in clouds as if that was the only way
I could think of a blue room.........a large space of sky brought inside.

Lately, however, I am drawn to shades of blue and have now begun to wonder if I am attracted to the color that is associated with peace and relaxation as I continue on with the journey within.

Denise Linn writes in her book SACRED SPACE,

Blue is the first of the cool spectrum colors.

It stimulates you to seek inner truth.

Blue helps you to attain inner peace and to live out your ideals.

Blue stimulates inspiration, creativity, spiritual understanding, faith and devotion.

Blue allows for gentleness, contentment, patience and composure. It has also been used for pain reduction.

Blue is also excellent for a meditation room or a bedroom, or any room where you want to have a feeling of peace pervade the entire atmosphere.


How synchronistic life events and actions can be.

It all fits together when you step back and take a moment to really look at it all.

When I moved out here ten years ago. all I could say was that it

"felt right"

..at the time.

I felt comforted by the huge blue sky
and the strength of the surrounding mountains.

I have been choosing blue lately
because I have been looking for peace,
understanding,
and healing.

My thought tonight is this:

Blue is the color of peace.

IT'S WEDNESDAY...............AND I STARTED THIS SUNDAY

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT SAYS ABOUT MY ABILITY TO MANAGE TIME

.......AND PIA IS NO HELP whatsoever.

SO, A FEW DAYS LATER

HERE IS MY SUNDAY POST.

SUNDAY MORNING WITH RELLA & PIA

This is a very typical Sunday morning

here at the nest

Come on in.

The things I see when I open my eyes

depending on which way I sleep that night before

This is the 'normal' head up at the top of the bed...visual

or...as in this morning

head the opposite way and looking to the top of the bed
On the way from the nest to the espresso machine

I open the patio doors and survey the possibility of the day

Not as cool as the weekend before, but totally beautiful.

Notice the ceiling fan on the patio??
You would not see this typically in Connecticut

However, here in AZ you have outdoor fans

along with outdoor misting systems, ALL very normal

That took me some time to get used to.

AND I USE THEM!!!(yes, there are two out there)

And when they are not whizzing around, you might find a small bird or three
hanging out on a blade. Pretty funny.

At the espresso machine, I smile at the kitchen angel

She just brings happiness every day
always happy...cheerful.

in the background,
the small, wooden table where I often photograph art projects

It's a space that screams for me to add color and art
Now, for the bliss off coffee
illy
to me, the most luscious.

See the tins??

They are hard for me to throw away
(chanting: remove clutter of collected items)
I don't have use for them,

really
I want to.....
but they simply are multiplying
in a fun way on top of the fridge

I just brought a few down to show you

This is my serious addition to my latte
I order it online directly from DaVinci

Monin brand is a close second

While the espresso is brewing.....

I use this fab, whipper-upper to foam up the
non-fat milk a little bit
before putting it under the steaming wand

Battery operated, this is a little powerhouse
and only a few dollars if I remember right

The aroma from the espresso is the first part of the delight
The taste.......yum.
The heart shape comes pretty much all the time when I pour the espresso into the hot foamed milk
but I love pulling a stirrer down the center

amazingly, I turned the t.v. on. This is rare on a Sunday morning
but how glad I was that I followed that thought
LOOK WHO WAS ON A&E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sara.
And can you believe she has two new songs??
five years...

It was a whole interview combined with several of her songs
So lovely.

As I turned off the T.V. I looked over at the book shelves
holding books that have been side by side for quite a while

to the left.......mine

........to the right......his

I've been moving these back and forth and dusting the shelves for almost six years.
This picture speaks 'volumes'

Once the latte is enjoyed, it's time for breakfast


PIA knows the routine by now and is poised....

ready...

.......except she is distracted by something only SHE can hear or see

which, of course,
causes ME to look at the wall

and then at her

and say

"WHAT???"

now her attention is back to my breakfast prep

How she loves yogurt...........

how I love adding sliced strawberries

and as I look down at my next bite

............I pick up the camera again
because

there's another heart for the morning

It's going to be a great day!

PIA agrees............

This is her happy look.

I HAD A VISITOR

After writing my post last Saturday, I continued on in beautiful silence.

Windows open with the coolness of the night.

The moon, three nights shy of full, was illuminating the back of the house...and I heard the familiar sound that seems to herald in Fall as we know it here.

At that moment, I found myself processing last year's thoughts. "DARN!!! SHE'S BACK! with that skin chilling sound"

Out I went with trusty beam of flashlight to find her....looking high up in the neighbor's tree that towers aside my bedroom windows. Oddly, she was not there......and I stood, silently, waiting for the call I know so well.

Except it was coming from an entirely different location and my eyes could make out to the South of the house, high up on the top of the roof of a home that sits on a hill with others of another neighborhood......the silhouette....as she called once again.

"hmmmmmm, the beam of light will not reach THAT far" I thought,
but flashed it her way anyway....lightly snickering

and deciding that I was
pathetic...Truly.

My farsighted eyes watched her on the rooftop and then suddenly the form disappeared..
leaving me wondering if she had flown down the other side of that house having found a tasty morsel...

Still looking toward the top of that roof and wondering about her.........out there in the stillness of the night..................

a near 4' span of white illuminated by the moon, silently came within inches of the top of my head and swooped up and over my house.

She made no sound at all........

I cannot say the same for me.....

My heart pounding as I ran inside,
through the house and out the front door to see where she went.

But she was not to be seen......only heard........several homes and trees away.

Something changed that night.

I have thought of that moment as she passed over my head and I saw her beautiful downy feathers

and her silent arrival and departure.

That very moment replays itself over and over in my mind's eye.

When I least expect it, there it is...

memory vision running ....

rewind......

play again.

That was an important ending
(or perhaps a beginning)

to my day of contemplation. 

But what I realized that the next morning when I woke up
and had that instant first thought of the day..

'First Thought.....Morning Thought'
which I have spoken of before
and the truth of the 'Morning thought' 
I knew it was an important encounter
that she was imparting something significant to me.

so it's no surprise, reallythat I discovered this (below) during the week as I thought of my encounter.

GREAT HORNED OWL:

Role: ~Extractor of Secrets~
Lesson: Timing
Element: Water
Wind: West ~The Quest Within~
Medicine: Clairaudience

.

The Owl is the bringer of wisdom.

The all-seeing owl possesses supernatural qualities and is often associated with intuition, clairvoyance and clairaudience.

The Owl’s energy is at its peak in the very heart of darkness.

When we are plunged into blindness and disorientation. She penetrates the darkness of the blackest night.
Seeing and hearing that which others cannot.

A magical creature, enigmatic and powerful.

If the owl is calling you, or you are aware of the owl being present in your life,

dreaming or waking, you are being called upon to open your eyes,
ears and mind to the truth of a situation.

To listen to the wisdom deep in your heart and soul.
That still small voice is trying to reach you in some way.
To assist you or help you in a current challenge you may be facing.

Tap into the power of the Owl by calling on your own intuition,

listen to your own wisdom for there is something you need to see or hear.

As the owl is so strongly associated with the night time, her wisdom may come to you while you sleep, so take the time to be aware of your dreams or make a special effort to remember and write down any important dreams you have.

The Owl is a messenger that can bring clarity and illumination. 
 ~
That quiet moment as she glided inches over my head changed me forever.  It was a spiritual change and I now have a love and respect for that magnificent creature that is hard to describe.  
A bond. 
A secret. 
Guidance to open my mind
my heart
my eyes
to truth
and trust the intuitive nature I have always had,
but questioned.

~ NoTeS fRoM tHe NeSt ~



Another week speeding by as quickly, it seems, as the speed of light.

Trying to hold on and embrace every moment,

I have spent the weekend in

virtual silence.

The only sounds are wind;
(and the subsequent tinkling of
the chimes placed outside...
a circular energy of sound which is very protective
and healing)
birds,

and an occasional bark of a dog
on a walk with it's owner.

I have also chosen not to play music.
(this is rare.)

This has allowed not only peace to enter,

but the silence has ushered in quite thoughts.

BLISS.

I have mentioned here many times

that Monday through Friday my days are

less
than
peaceful.

What I have NOT mentioned

is that in keeping with my tendency to gather

and collect things

I have gleaned, gathered, and collected
enormous amounts of information.

Part of what I do
on a day-to-day basis is research information.
for the doctor I work for...

a cancer research specialist
more specifically...

translational genomic research.

Just like blogging, I can find a piece of data,

which leads me to more data.......

on and on and on.

I can get lost in it.

All very, very interesting and once in a while... fun.

So today I will share a piece that is quite interesting.

A bit about our fabulous brain.

At the base of the brain stem, about the size of a little finger,
is a group of cells whose job it is to sort and evaluate incoming data.
This control center is known as the

reticular activating system (RAS).

The RAS sends the urgent stuff to the active part of your brain,

and sends the non urgent to the subconscious. (How cool is that?)

The RAS awakens the brain to consciousness,

and keeps it alert--just as surely as your baby's cry in the night,
from all the way down the hall.....
can waken you from a deep sleep.

The RAS evaluates the nonessential nighttime noises
dripping faucet, the crickets, or neighborhood traffic....

and filters out the non urgent, waking you up only for the urgent.

The baby cries, and in a split second you are bolt upright in bed, wide awake and ready to rescue the infant in distress.

The keenest, most familiar example of the reticular activating system at work is an experience all of us have had at one time or another.

You are in a packed room; you can barely hear the conversation
of the person you are talking to above the din of the crowd.

Suddenly, someone clear on the other side of the room
mentions your name.

And that one word cuts through the sea of sound and your ears immediately perk up.
You turn your head toward the speaker, eager now to tune in the rest of what he or she is saying about you.

That is a prime example of your monitoring mechanism, your reticular activating system, at work...you have just tuned in to something specific and useful to you.

Although you may think you are giving your conversational companion undivided attention,
the fact is your attention is fragmented and subconsciously
taking in the tower of Babel around you,

sorting.......sorting.........sorting,

even as YOU speak.

Your name when spoken stands out as prominently.

The RAS is like a filtering system of the brain.

You never know what you are going to find here at the nest.

now I will leave you
wishing you a beautiful Sunday evening

and I will return to the silence
allowing the RAS of MY brain a time of rest.

DO ONE KIND THING EVERY DAY
quietly, for someone else, without expecting anything in return.

Stamp from Stampotique
#6037 - Moon Garden

It can be as simple as looking into the eyes of a stranger

and

acknowledging

them with a greeting of

"Good Morning" or "Good Afternoon"

or even just a kind smile.

Or

giving or sending a card or gift,

perhaps anonymously, with a note to simply

pay it forward.

These are unusual times.

Kindness is powerful.

Collectively a spirit of kindness can create a shifting.

Don't you think?

Give it some thought.

Look around you.

Opportunity is everywhere.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite things.

not exclusive to this day,

I am just taking a moment to share them

THIS day.

I am home today.

I need extra rest from the crazy place
to nurture myself
and shake
the virus that persists.

I've listened to that small voice........something I am working diligently towards.

I'm on a journey my friends.

Working towards clearing some of the clutter

physically and mentally.

It's a profoundly quiet time, really, as I go inward to do some 'work'.

It feels to some around me as if I have become even more reclusive.

There is just so much swirling around in my head
as I try to understand the bigger picture
and not be waylaid by what might be insignificant
or unnecessary.

or less than kind
or giving

or true.


And I am like a magpie,
I collect and hoard things.

Things I love,

things I think I may need later.

If one cigar box is good, then I will have 10.
Paper, magazines, books, pens, paints.

all to create

I'm sure you get the picture.

I surround myself with these things and then the feeling of

CLUtTeR

begins to invade my spirit and I become uneasy.

.....and I have to walk outside and feel the peace



Then there is the negative energy of that crazy place
Monday through Friday.

So what does a Scorpio do??

SHE addresses the situation head on.

I have been sorting through and ridding myself of the clutter.

It's a slow process as I can get distracted......but I stay the course.

And right alongside of that... I sort through the

inner-self

and I read...
and contemplate...
and write.

I am reading Life Is A Verb by Patti Digh.

37 Days To Wake Up, Be Mindful, And Live Intentionally.

This is a MUST READ.

Not even into the numbered pages we read
a quote on page vi

Time only seems to matter when it's running out ~ Peter Strup.

This book is so beautifully written.....

She exhorts us that no matter how many days we have left to:

• Say Yes, How can you live a "yes, and" rather than "yes, but" kind of life?

• Be Generous. How can you give (and receive) something more valuable than money or things?

• Speak Up. How can you stand tall, yet give up your attachment to being right?

• Love More. How could adoration (of yourself and others) revolutionize your life?

• Trust Yourself. How can you choose who you spend your time with?

• Slow Down. How can you pay attention and stand still in a world moving at warp speed?

I challenge anyone to NOT be changed after reading it.

I ordered my copy on Amazon.com and had it in one day with regular shipping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


and to hold my place each day is my latest favorite book mark.

A tag that my dear friend Lynnie
(I cannot link her as she does not have a blog yet)
made me.

I love it so.

The three eggs signify to me......my three precious birds.
The bird flying away is raised up a bit and has a shadow effect
as it was also stamped underneath.
As were the three eggs.

The word nest is embossed in a roughly, perfect way
and there is metallic stitching down the left side.

My photo does not do justice to the amazing coloring of this little piece.

I so love this tag that it's an absolute pleasure to take it out and put it back as I read.


Now to share my favorite cleaning item.

If you have NOT tried this...............run to the store and pick up a box.

I love this product!!!!

Two sponges come inside
and I have cut one to use exclusively on the steaming wand of my espresso machine.
Takes that glued on...milk crust that forms each and every time I use it!!

The other portion is for the top of my flat surface stove.
Nothing, NOTHING!! cleans that surface from EVERYTHING
like this magic sponge.

The other sponge is for household things like annoying scuffs on door trim or walls.....
or marks on the textured handle of the fridge.

I keep one in the bathroom for the tub..........I will not go on about the uses, but I will exhort you to give this amazing product a try.

Yes, you will thank me.

I will cross my arms and smile