Sunday finds me unfurling, surrendering to an irrepressible joy with the gift of a few days in a cabin on the lake. Is it possible that I love swimming in a shimmering lake even more than the sea? This photo was taken after a pearly afternoon swim ~ no one was around on this private beach so we skinny dipped which was so beautiful and yet…it was my soul which felt most naked as I slipped into the water with a full blooded ease that is nothing short of thrilling. The photo above was taken after my swim so please excuse the tangled tresses:)

What makes your soul feel naked?

I am in the mood for a little night swimming…and my favorite conductor Gustavo:) Have a lovely Sunday!

Happy hour early! I spent such a lovely afternoon in my girlfriend’s studio while she worked on a mural. What is it about being around art in progress…or music….photography…dance…cooking…anything oh anything that is lost in the whirlwind of creation that makes me lose myself completely to the gust of that nativity? And then suddenly…that happy ‘hour’ has been hours and I am so tired but utterly content ~ filled to the brim with the fierce love and passion of conception.

My happy hour today can be viewed here:) and a some music here:)

Susanna’s winged messenger placed quite joyfully on the ferry I took over to the Island while visiting my Mother:)

A very spontaneous day when suddenly I felt compelled to visit an art gallery and went down to the AGO ~ and oh! there was a wonderful exhibit called Surreal things which seemed quite suited to my state of mind oddly enough.

I was utterly transfixed as I wandered through room after room of stage sets filled with ballet costumes, gorgeous illustrations, ’shocking’ perfume bottles, furniture, Cocteau’s films and seriously stunning photographs. I have to say there is nothing more enlivening and meditative all in the same breath as an afternoon spent wandering through an art gallery. As I was leaving I stumbled upon a bride and groom who were getting married in the gallery and snapped some  photo’s of the ‘kiss” and let it be said here and now I love kissing.  Kissing makes the world a better place for sure:) Tomorrow is Sunday and I plan to celebrate with cupcakes and a day in Kensington Market ~ what are you up to?

immerse yourself in a little improv joy to bring a BIG smile to your Sunday:) ~ read all about Improv everywhere here:)

Have a splendid Sunday!

My happy hour post (a day late as I was traveling on the ferry back very very early yesterday from visiting my Mom) was spent going through hundreds of love letters my father wrote to my Mother from 1958 ~1963 when he was studying at Oxford.  They met at a dance in London, England and both  insist it was love at first sight.  You can see some of the letters here and I thought you might like to read a few lines of this letter which was the third letter my Dad wrote to my Mom ~ he wrote so many because she didn’t have a phone:)

I haven’t got the slightest excuse for writing you so I guess I’ll just have admit that I’ve had you on my mind most of the day.  In fact my big problem is going to be to get you off my mind long enough to do my essay, which is Literal Contracts in Roman Law.

(…  ) I notice all of the college punts have been reserved for Sunday but I think we can rent one direct from the boathouse or possibly a canoe.  The canoe has the advantage that you are much more likely to get dumped into the water and in this way I can get back at you for keeping me from starting my essay on literal contracts.

I love this letter because I really can ‘hear’ my Dad in it ~ he always had such a funny sense of humor:)

I am quite happy today because I received my gorgeous Stampington calendars in the mail and was honored to have one of my photo’s included in the Inspired Living calender. They are simply breathtaking with vivid colors and beautiful paper, design and layout.  So many talented artists were featured and you can order them here:)

Have a gloriously happy weekend!

photo by David Pohl, hand model Madelyn:)

This morning I awakened to the most lovely sky of palest silvery aqua and took my morning coffee onto the front porch to greet the hushed, hopeful day. It is so tempting to write an ode to such a morning as your hair fills up with salt and soft winds and bright ideas, or at least chase it with a camera. But I did neither. I sat in the bright peaceful light listening to the quietly drumming, irregular rhythm of my heart sipping my coffee. It was such a simple moment but uncommonly special in the same breath.

I have a little pile of paint chips on my kitchen table in hues of gorgeous yellow’s…’shooting stars, firefly, sunny days, and ‘happily ever after’ ~ which I must say I quite love for the name alone. And there is a marvelous turquoise that would be perfect I think for my studio. What is it about choosing a fresh palette of colors for your home that feels like a little miracle of possibility? And then again, what is this thing called ‘home?’ I have been thinking about that a lot lately…as I begin to create a brand new space. I have said I want color and music, laughter and open windows, lots of art and a beautiful creative energy…good days and sunlight fueled by warm and constant love. So simple really. You don’t need bells and whistles and fancy design when you have that.

Have you read the ‘Time Traveler’s Wife?’ I loved that book very much and this weekend the film came out which I raced out to see with my daughter. The philosophical and poetic question of ‘time’ was not well captured in the film because there was not enough ‘time’ funny enough. For that, the film needed to be longer with a greater sensitivity and reverence for that rhythm. And yet. There were profound moments of beauty and loveliness and the quiet ache of timeless love.

Today I am content. I will be taking a ferry to the Island to visit my Mom tomorrow morning and we will drive along the old highway which winds it’s way along the ocean to my brother’s house. I have a special article I am writing and I am looking forward to walks on the beach and tweaking some lessons for my Bones of a Poet e~course. It is Sunday which is a perfect day for early Beatles music , piles of books and good day, sunshine:)

Darlene is extra cute, a peaceful morning paddle….and a song:) (because oh! did I mention that I am going to see Van Morrison in New York with him? Well, now you know:)

What makes you feel happy, simple and bright on a Sunday?

Today I picked up my film from the lab and I have always said if I only get one, just one beautiful shot out of an entire roll then that will surely make my day.

Today was a very good day.   This   photo of a vintage Shwinn bicycle was taken with  my Canon AE1 camera and Fuji Reala 100 asa color film.  It made me so happy with that light glancing off the seat.  The rest of the roll was otherwise quite disappointing but we won’t talk about that:)

Well I have been thinking it would be lovely to start a Wednesday series called “the happy hour.” Sharing a photo and a few lines from a happy hour spent curiously meandering about my day. The ‘happy hour photo’ today celebrates the thrill of public art ~ the unexpected pleasure the canvas of a brick wall can bring to a neighborhood from the vision of an inspired artist.

Funny thing is, today I was determined to not take photo’s ~ live in the moment of the experience rather. Well, you can see how well I did with that, as I simply could not resist this cheery mural. I particularly loved the ‘toilet’ popping up into the photo as well:)

Susanna’s winged messenger poetically swaying in the warm evening breeze of the county fair

The other evening we went to the Fayette county fair where I found myself transported back in time to a warm country evening strolling the fairgrounds, admiring the blue ribboned prize winning tomatoes, pokeberries and runner beans. Snacking on fish sandwiches, (the perogies were all sold out, alas) french fries smothered in melted cheese whiz and ice cold Pepsi. (glancing longingly, but full, at the banana cream pies) The petting zoo was adorable as children lined up to purchase baby bottles filled with milk to offer the goats, llama’s and ambling piglets. There were soft rabbits, indifferent roosters and a horse named Ruby that captured my heart with his kissable nose and warm liquid eyes.

And oh, lest I forget, I am clearly not to old for the carnival as we hopped in line for the spinning rides, haunted castle and the twirling swings which spun us up up up laughingly into the indigo sky under the amiable gaze of the full moon. A word of caution however….french fries smothered in hot melted cheese whiz is not the best compliment to fiercely spinning rides:)

Strolling along I passed by a lovely carousel ride all bedecked in lights and color and music …and it was here that I decided to set one of Susanna’s winged messengers free. Children ran by with great exuberance and I happen to know for a fact that one happy child with four siblings was bold enough to take Susanna’s winged messenger home ~ cradled gently and admiringly by her astonished father. A most perfect ending to a wonderful night:)

and just in case you feel like jumping...the perfectly perfect tune:)…aaaaand out of the closet with sea to sky on a sunday