A Collection of Curiosities
I’ll be on break until January unless life allows down a tad. 😉
For the 13 of you following my blog. Please know I appreciate it immensely and will be posting more pictures and things as soon as I can ☺️
Have a Beautiful holiday season and may the New year be the start of a new era.
Epopée du projet photo for LiliT’s blog
The Lovely LiliT requested a header for her Blog. I had a blast setting that up for her.
Here are some of the images that came out of that project.
None of these photos are cropped or edited in any way.
Those pomegranate seeds were even more delicious after staring at them through the lens forever.
An ever growing Todo List for the setup.
What color theme to use? How much stuff can I cram into one image?
We’ve been over this before. Apophenia : finding links between unrelated objects or subjects. This Obsidian involuntarily carved Raven directing me to have a lunch break.
Typical mid project feeling
I love those glass pens
Pareidolie : seeing faces in objects: yes the geode is staring at me
Ok! Now that we’re finally capable of taking a step back, What are we missing…
Ahhh! There we have it. And for the final result see LiliT ‘s Blog headder!
What is it about candles that attracts me to them so steadily?
The Flickering light
The Fading Shadows
A spark to ignite
Hope even if shallow
A Heat that just might
Warm bone to the marrow
A song taking flight
Echoing into Morrow
A wick that with might
Twists, turns, Bends, curls up, Wallows
Though cheerful and bright
It’s gay state merely borrowed
Cackling waxen wight
Thee, a balm to my sorrow
A guide in the night
On the path though it narrows
Your crackling delight
In my chest gently burrows
Teaching me how to right
wrongs, how to know
When to fight
Or a brave face show
Or take flight
Or too grow
When to take delight
In your glow
Or fear your bite
Ashen Snow
It’s plurality is established for a reason.
Did you know that there are at Least 75 Celebrated Holidays From November 1st through January 6th?
Many of which actually overlap!
Many are of a Religious Nature, while others are purely secular.
Did you miss Cake Day? This year it fell on the same Day as Indigenous Peoples Day (as well as Thanksgiving)
Most know of: la Toussaint, Dias de los Muertos, Kwanza, Christmas, la St-Nicolas, Ste Lucie, Yule, Diwali or Hannukah. These are only a few of the Widely Accepted Religious Fêtes.
However some of the true Gems of our Times lie in the secular and creative branches. Lying in wait for unsuspecting victims, in search of an excuse to celebrate.
These include : Wolfenoot, Celebrated on November 23rd. December 8th marking ‘let’s pretend we’re time travellers’ day.
And January 6th is « La Journée des Fous ». To name only a few.
What are you celebrating?
Mama Cybèle was rescued Midwinter from the cold, already pregnant with her litter, by a friend.
Cybèle was thus named for 3 reasons:
The first being the reference to the French phrase « Tu est Si Belle » (You are so Beautiful). Si Belle being pronounced identically to the word Cybèle. Because she is a truly Beautiful Cat.
The Second being in reference to Impératrice Sissi. Because as Cats go She is utterly Regal in both Attitude and Demeanor and definitely maintains her territory well. As would be expected of any Good, Proper and Legitimate Monarch.
The third Refering to the Phrygian mythos. More specifically the Goddess Kybēle (Cybèle). The ‘original’¹ Archetypal Matriarchal Divine Feminine. The Mother of Gods.
Particularly appropriate for this maternal feline: Considering that, of her spawn, at least 2 were Baptized for deities in their own right, that we know of. Sekhmet (Egyptian Goddess, counterpart to Bastet) and Déus (Latin Appellation of the Judéo-Christian Deity.
We adopted Both Cybèle and Déus while her other four offspring were graciously adopted into seemingly Good And Loving Homes.
The Mother and Son Duo Have since reigned Supreme over their adopted domain.
If you would like to know more about the adoption process, stories about the cats or fun little bits of information about them feel free to ask away!
So the following thoughts whilst ‘on-brand’ with the Holidays Season, were originally prompted in my mind by the following realizations:
We always hear about how different people speak different Love Languages. Generally followed by some adorable and cheezy rant, trying to sell you something, about how we have to learn to listen to our partner’s and friend’s Love Language and do our best even if theirs isn’t the same as ours or especially if they do not match up.
The problem is that, while we certainly all have our prefered or predominant ‘Language’. What is often, if not systematically, overlooked is that we all need all of these languages to at least some degree! We can’t just ignore one and try to apply the others! Each of these Love Languages speaks to a different need. Every Human Emotional Need, if ignored for too long, will eventually run Amok.
As December Begins and we move towards Winter, with it’s crisp sparkly mornings and deep quiet nights, I would like to propose that you be direct, and ask the people in your life:
« what type of Gift would mean the most to you? »
« What could we do, even with the pandemic still raging on, that you would most enjoy us doing together and creating quality time? »
What kinds of things, even if they seem small or ridiculous to you, can I do to be of service? How could I best help you? »
Physical touch doesn’t have to be long hugs 😁. 🎩🧐😉😁✒️It can be quite challenging to accomplish this one during a lockdown. Please be patient. 🙏
And Last but not least: TELL THEM HOW AMAZING THEY ARE! ReAffirm their place and importance in your life.
So I apparently have Pareidolia and Apophenia.
And I also happen to enjoy making pancakes.
Can you spot the Faces in my breakfast?
If so, you might have Pareidolia as well!
The tiniest detail.
The smallest action can save a life, save a soul, stop a heart from bleeding out,
It’s the smallest thing and yet can be all the push someone needed to break an old habbit, a destructive pattern.
Something as simple as taking the time to pull up a chair instead of standing for a meeting with them,
Forgetting yourself for a split second in a professional setting and answering casually. Or catching yourself mid phrase.
Providing warmth and humanity in a cold asceptic environment.
Visibly Trying to shield someone from hurting even if you don’t succeed.
Taking time out of your busy schedule, even if it’s only a minute or two, to check in on someone in distress.
Acknowledging someone’s distress.
Acknowledging someone’s hint at a deeper pain.
Paying attention when someone has trouble explaining something. Being patient if someone is struggling through their phrases.
Keeping calm when Someone’s distress overwhelms them. Not raising ones voice, staying gentle toned.
Letting someone speak their mind without interrupting no matter how incoherent or incongruous their train of thought seems to be.
Giving someone permission to live their emotions without jugement and holding space long enough to allow them to so safely.
Taking things seriously but not falling into the overdramatic flair that many develop.
Respecting someone’s privacy when they don’t know how to respect themselves or have given up all together.
Offering options instead of asking open ended questions. (Would you prefer tea or coffee, veut tu un grilled cheese ou juste un bout de fromage? )
Sharing a favorite quote.
Giving genuine advice.
Showing empathy to someone who’s all but forgotten what that is.
Verify if someone has an actual plan to self destruct. Dismantle their time frame if necessary.
Asking hard questions in a compassionate way. Asking questions about painful situations gently.
Giving a clear constructive starting point to a lost and confused soul.
Making sure someone is safe. Encouraging them to stay safe.
Helping to identify some true fear rather than leaving it unknown and unnamed. Helping someone Live their fears and see past those fears.
Giving someone a constructive first step over the fear.
Reminding someone that showing their emotions is not a weekness but a strength.
Reminding someone of who is truly there for them.
Reminding someone of what waits for them at home.
Helping that person locate resources or reassuring someone of the resources they already have ready access to and can trust.
Reminding someone that if they die today they’ll never know what potential tomorrow brings.
Making sure someone eats and has some water.
Acknowledging how difficult it is to ask for help.
Reminding someone that they are allowed to speak.
Acknowledging how difficult the first step is.
Not hiding how difficult or painful something might be.
Reassuring someone that you Beleive them and that everything is not their fault.
Accepting and not minimising the impact of past experiences based on how long it’s been.
Not judging someone for admitting to having done something horrible.
Complimenting someone on something they are doing that could seem hard to them especially if it’s habitually a very simple step of a task.
Giving someone an attainable simple goal and keeping them accountable.
Helping someone name their emotions
Help someone get their emotions out by offering different alternatives to speaking such as showing music lyrics or writing things down.
Taking the time to patiently answer any questions asked genuinely.
Saving an awkwardly written postit note of encouragement as if it were a gift.
Caring. When no one else seemed to notice.
Accepting someone’s gratitude gracefully without diminishing it or putting it aside.
Keeping someone accountable. Insisting on accountability.
Giving someone compliments about simple things that usually are taken for granted, seem easy, or are overlooked. Showing gratitude. Being present.
~ You never know how strong you are unless you test your limits. ~
Not what you’re expecting. But with Thanksgiving coming up this week, I wanted to share something.
I had fun taking a bunch of photos of when we renovated the House. And figured I could share some of the pictures with you all!
On that note: mini story time!
This is a tale about how my mother decided that wallpapering a quote onto a ceiling was a good idea…
I might muster-up the energy to give more of a house tour another time. But at least you’ll have some insight on how these photos became a thing, if not why.
All the wallpaper, Artwork, Paintings, Stained Glass, Countertops, Backsplash, even the WineRack and folding Photo filled Paravent, & The Floor! Is all either my Mother, Grandfather, my Sister, or mine own doing. And when it’s not, it’s a heirloom item or family photos mostly.
The cabinet doors? Hours of calc-ing original designs or traditional Norwegian sayings and imagery by hand onto parchment paper, only to wallpaper it onto each cabinet door one at a time.
The stained Glass window? My mother designed, put together, and installed it as a gift to my grandmother.
The Floor: you are looking at is a concrete floor…
No. That is not Fieldstone. Nor marble.
That is days, weeks, of painting cement, tinting concrete, by hand, until the desired effect was achieved. And tracing each individual stone.
One. at. A. Time.
So, after watching my mother paint a garden door scenery
« to look like one of those gardens in the magazines »,
by hand, because she
« couldn’t stand the look of the grey fuse box ruinning the decor » …
I can’t say I was surprised by the proposition to wallpaper a section of the ceiling to match the cabinets and floorboards…
The Quote that was ultimately stenciled on by hand, was, granted, one of my Grandfather’s favorites.
And reads like a balm on the souls of most creatives, artists and marginalized folks alike.
So to all of the photographs and artists, to the creative thinkers, tinkerers and creators of worlds, to you I say: remember this:
« If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. »
Never Let Anyone convince you your Dreams are too big, Ideas too wild, for you to achieve them. Even if the person trying to convince you is you.
Black Friday, Small Buisness Saturday, CyberMonday. They’re all going to be extremely harsh for Artists and Artisans this year. So all that for a word of encouragement: just keep your head up. It’ll be worth it in the end.
Have we forgot Our history
While we sing and make merry
Shouting praise and Dancing
For joy now we're happy
For the end of this presidency
It's all over the TV
The end, quite Hopefully
To 4 years of sheer misery
Uncertainty and tragedy.
Yet take heed too much folly
Could plague still your belly,
Your head even your family.
This prospect seems scary
And the outcome so dreary
But hope came with the tally
For A new page in the story
Of our ongoing journey
So feast now be jolly
And never again forget our history
Love, Liberty and Other things the Fairies Stole 