mother nature is a man and other observations..

Valentines Day 1971

There was an elegant jewel of a shop called Georg Jensen. I have a magnificent piece of jewelry from that very shop. A large sterling silver heart on a most architecturally beautifully linked chain. Engraved With love and my husband’s name and my two sons. Another lifetime ago. Valentines Day 1971 and like all occasions celebrated grandly with cards, flowers and love….and now it’s 2014 and as commercialized as the holiday is, I still yearn for the days when. I don’t like to wish away the days, but I do wish it was going to be February 15th tomorrow. To all who celebrate, I wish a love….ly Happy Valentines Day. Hold your memories close in your heart.

Snow Snow…go away….You’re not even pretty anymore

There comes a time when enough is enough. Living in the city, the snow is really only lovely when it’s falling and then it becomes either slush in the streets or huge drifts that make it impossible to get over, unless helped by at least two men…and then the treacherous ice. That awful feeling of thinking your head will be cracked on the sidewalk, and then what? Someone will have to rummage through my purse or cell phone to notify next of kin. Oh yes, it would be just lovely if I lived in Connecticut with a roaring fireplace, all cozy and hanging in with someone you would like to be snowed in with, but that too, would be a bit much after a few days. So at my age, I shouldn’t wish the months away and just enjoy all the moments of dark wintry nights…but always thinking of spring flowers and warm summer breezes. A few quotes to pass the lovely ice and snow storm that is coming our way tomorrow. “In your hands winter is a book with cloud pages that snow pearls of love.” Aberjhani….”Then come the wild weather, come sleet or come snow, we will stand by each other, however it blow.” Simon Dach…..”The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself.” Lao Tzu…. “.As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.” William Shakespeare….”Snow was falling, so much like stars filling the dark trees that one could easily imagine its reason for being was nothing more than prettiness.” Mary Oliver…..”Winter always turns to spring.” Nichiren Daishonin…..”A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” Carl Reiner………………………………….and my favorite…”I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.” Mae West……………………………..Happy Winter!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soul Filling Experience….and then

There is just something mood evoking and soul filling about jazz. Difficult to explain, you have to experience it. Tonight I was at Dizzy’s Club, Lincoln Center Jazz venue with a friend, enjoying Kenny Werner’s quintessential quintet. He on piano, Randy Brecker, trumpet, David Sanchez, tenor sax, Scott Colley, bass, and An Hoenig on drums. I feel so grateful to be living in one of the greatest cities in the world, taking in the creative energy that surrounds me. Sadly, walking to the bus,I saw a homeless person in a doorway. It is absolutely freezing in the city.. Calling 311 actually worked, and there was help on the way to take him/her to a shelter.. I wasn’t able to tell gender they were so covered up. So one part of me was rejoicing in the fact I just experienced brilliant musicians in the city I love, and then to see what I witnessed. I know that’s life, but instead of remembering the evening of music, looking at a freezing person in a doorway is what has stayed with me. In a little while, I will once again bring back the memories of the music. Minding my mind is necessary for me to have quality of life. So my soul can hear the music again, but my eyes and heart can’t forget the person in the doorway.

Lazy is Good

What a delicious day it is…about 7 inches of snow and freezing freezing out there. Plans cancelled for last night and today, and fine with that. Hoping to get to Lincoln Center Jazz tomorrow night with a good friend who is moving to the city. A lovely bonus being able to enjoy events with her. I plan on visiting 97-year-old Edith tomorrow. I wrote a blog about her called Her Wonderful Spirit. Her favorite saying is “you take yourself wherever you go.” She keeps telling me “age is just a number.” and her other words of wisdom…”don’t go looking for a man. If he’s meant to be in your life, he will be there, in your path.” This lazy kind of day, I think of Edith who needs to be busy the entire day taking advantage of all the activities at the Senior Residence she lives in. She closes up the place at about 11pm after an evening of dinner, movie or live entertainment and rummy Q. So other than being on the computer, I must say my pile of papers are still my pile of papers. I have bright orange folders to put in all the scraps of paper I write on, newspaper articles to reference, and a few small mounds of other papers. It’s 5pm and my deadline is 6pm to do my morning hour routine. Chanting, yoga, and weights. All contributing to a zen feeling. Not eating boxes of candy, not downing bottles of vodka or wine, not popping pills, just chilling in a positive way…………………and the best part of all??? NO GUILT…I will get to those paper though. Soon

Heartfelt Thanks

At this beginning of this New Year, I would like to thank everyone that reads my blog. If you follow, or read on other social networks, I thank you most kindly for supporting me, and as Sally Fields once said, “liking me.” and the bonus is when you leave a comment, or I am notified on email. The creative process is a combination of the agony and the ecstasy. Most creative people have somewhat of a soul connection to each other. We often experience life in a very different way. Our senses are enhanced and our dreams are often unrealized. I have had articles published, but as yet the 80,000 word women’s humor fiction novel has yet to be. I have a co-author, and we are doing some editing, and hope to submit again soon. We thought about self publishing since there is no stigma against. A self published author won the Pen Award this year. What is thrilling to me are twitter followers from all over the world, and to know my words are being read and appreciated is gratitude beyond what I can even express. I have a passion for writing, and find that it’s a great release for creative energy. Designing clothing was fun and exciting to see others wearing my designs, but writing comes from a part of your heart and soul, that is more of a spiritual experience that is a bit difficult to describe.I will end this post with one of my favorite quotes and hope you enjoy as well. “The sweetest songs yet remain to be sung.” Walt Whitman……………..May your songs be sung in 2015 and beyond.

Less is More/Letting Go Of Stuff/ Or Maybe Not

Fortunately, I don’t need to lose weight. I have been eating healthy and doing yoga for over 35 years. What I would like to do is let go of some stuff. I live in a minimal contemporary setting with little or no clutter. What lurks are the things. Some I haven’t worn, some I will never wear, some I wear rarely, but they are part of me and I can’t part with them. I once designed a line of clothing called Sensuous Sweats. Casual very practical and timeless. I rarely if ever buy clothes, shoes, handbags etc etc. I have learned over the years to collect what I love, and go shopping in my closet. I think of myself as very low maintenance. If by some miracle, I met a new love, he would never have to buy me anything. The only wonderful luxury would be a woman masseuse to come here every night and put me to sleep. I would trade in the half of xanax for that anytime. The time has come to let go of what lurks behind all my closets. Now how can I get rid of my mother’s beautiful dress that I remember, not only her wearing, but I did as well. Her scent White Shoulders still smolders a bit on the silk crepe. Lingerie I collected whenever I went to Paris, I can never let them go. This has to be a process, a work in progress. Maybe just a few things that I know I will never wear. Exquisite hand-made evening shoes that unless I had not one, but two men to support those high heels, I will never wear. I live in 700 sq.ft. and my bedroom is lovely. Built in closets with a bed. Clothes are all neatly hung, thanks to Huggable Hangers. New Years Eve is sad , because at one time it was a formal affair at the club, live big band sound, a festive time to remember with my husband. Silks, satins,lace long Pucci vintage gowns, hanging neatly in a row lingering with wonderful scents of Joy, and probably every scent Guerlain ever made. A lifetime ago, another life, one that doesn’t exist now. I look at everything and realize I could never afford to buy my own clothes today. Would never think of paying the ridiculous prices they would be now. If invited to any event just go to “the closet.” Every so often, I lovingly take a few out of the closet, hold them up, look at them,feel the lovely fabrics, take in their scent, and then, they go right back in again. Give to family you say? Of course, but I’m a very small size, shoes as well, and they wouldn’t even fit my granddaughter. I have over the years given some of my favorites to one of my favorite friends, and they became her favorites, and that was a great feeling. My “stuff” I realize is more than “stuff”. They are my memories that I keep, hanging on to forever, as well the clothes hanging in my closet.

New Year Resolutions?

I have never been a fan of making resolutions. Like most diets, they are broken rather quickly. A very simple rule is reigning in the missing dwell. My husband and the life we lived together. Concentrating less on the voids and filling those wells of sadness with what I have in my life. Occasionally, the pity party invitation arrives, whether welcomed or not, but I have learned, not to stay too long. I have my glorious memories and his energy and spirit for life. Going through the motion with no emotion is not emotionally healthy, and that is the time for the grateful list to come out. You don’t necessarily have to write it all down, but if it helps, go for it. I do quietly in my mind, and then realize it is so much longer than the other list, and just like that, a down mood lifts and the joy cover comforts. I wish everyone a New Year filled with good health, silliness, joy, laughter galore, and peace, for all you love and who loves you. Happy 2015

All I Want For Christmas is my Other Glove

A little metaphor based on Rainbow Bridge.
You see them all over town. On the ground, in the subway, on the bus, on top of the mailbox, outside a taxi, inside a taxi. A single glove just sitting there all alone. Sometimes covered in dirt, rain, or snow. No match in sight. Sad little glove. Actually they come in all sizes and colors. So this is a story about a lost glove. I am giving this one a personality. The glove felt useless because it was no longer in use. Nobody wanted one glove. The little glove had nowhere to go, but be put in a drawer and not be used again. The little glove wondered how it’s match was lost, it happened so fast. On a lap perhaps and fell off when someone stood up, left on a counter, fell out of a pocket? Oh well, how much time can be spent on why and how it happened. It happened and the glove wasn’t really a glove anymore. Just a thing, not keeping anyone warm and cozy.Oh well, at least I wasn’t thrown in the garbage. One night the glove fell asleep and had the most wonderful dream. Walking across a beautiful bridge built over a lovely pond. The glove found itself over the bridge, and in a land unlike anything ever seen before. Surrounded by scented flowers of every color, rainbows covering the sky, mood evoking music playing and way far away in the distance, the little glove saw hundreds and thousands of gloves of all sizes and colors dancing and singing, and laughing. All of a sudden, silence…quiet..and very quickly a very large dark leather glove came up to the little glove and said “Welcome to the Land of Lost Gloves. We have a surprise for you little one…and then it happened. In the distance, her match, her mate was coming right up to her, and they were together again, never to part..and they lived happily ever after in Gloveland.

A Note to Santa

Dear Santa,
How about Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men, Women, Children, and Animals…..Let Kindness Reign…Please…     This was originally written December 23, 2013. What has changed for the better? Innocent people are still being killed. War is still with us. Child and animal abuse still going on. Women still struggling to have rights. When do things get better? Trump or Clinton will actually do something that hasn’t been done before? I try to  live a positive mellow life as best I can, but not feeling safe in my own city is frightening, and that is getting worse not better. I meditate and practice yoga and the philosophy of Buddhism, but at times, the news that I try to avoid is always there. The simple answer is just to live our own lives with kindness and the larger answer? There are no answers.

May all who reads this be healthy, safe, and find joy in your life..Happy Holidays to All and to All……May 2016 be filled with Peace on Earth. I wish…..